Algal chloroplastic SRP54 mutants

ABSTRACT

Mutant photosynthetic microorganisms having reduced chlorophyll and increased photosynthetic efficiency are provided. The mutant strains have mutated chloroplastic SRP54 genes and exhibit increased productivity with respect to wild type strains. Also provided are mutant algal strains having mutated cytosolic SRP54 genes. Provided herein are methods of producing biomass and other products such as lipids using strains having mutations in an SRP54 gene. Also included are constructs and methods for attenuating or disrupting SRP54 genes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Ser. No. 62/148,071, filed Apr. 15, 2015, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

INCORPORATION OF SEQUENCE LISTING

The material in the accompanying sequence listing is hereby incorporated by reference into this application. The accompanying sequence listing text file, name SGI1880_1WO_Sequence_Listing.txt, was created on 15 Apr. 2016, and is 172 kb. The file can be assessed using Microsoft Word on a computer that uses Windows OS.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to algal strains having increased photosynthetic efficiency and productivity and to their use in producing products under photoautotrophic conditions.

The productivity of photosynthetic algal cultures depends on the ability of the algae to efficiently utilize available light. In large scale cultures, the efficiency of light utilization is reduced by self-shading as the cell density of the culture increases. Self-shading within cultures is further increased by the tendency of individual cells to maximize their light harvesting antennae in response to increasingly limited light, causing further reduction in the ability of available light to penetrate into the culture (Formighieri et al. (2012) J. Biotechnol 162:113-123). In such cultures, the light absorbed at the uppermost level of the culture is in excess of the amount that can be utilized by the algal cells. The excess light energy absorbed by the upper layer of cells is dissipated by nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) mechanisms, while cells beneath the upper layer receive suboptimal light.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2014/0220638 describes a screen for mutants having increased photosynthetic efficiency that have a locked-in high light acclimated (LIHLA) phenotype and mutants isolated using the screen. LIHLA mutants are deregulated in low light acclimation, that is, they do not substantially increase their light harvesting antennae when transferred from high to low light, allowing light to penetrate to greater culture depth.

The light harvesting antennae of higher plants and many algae, including, among others, green algae, diatoms, and eustigmatophytes, consists of chlorophyll molecules bound by light harvesting chlorophyll binding proteins, or LHCPs. The LHCPs are encoded by nuclear genes and are post-translationally transported into the chloroplast. Once inside the chloroplast, the LHCs are inserted into the thylakoid membranes by their interaction with a chloroplastic signal recognition particle (SRP) complex that includes the polypeptides cpSRP43 and cpSRP54. cpSRP43 binds the imported LHCP and acts as a chaperonin to maintain the solubility of the LHCP prior to its assembly into the membrane. cpSRP54 (chloroplastic signal recognition particle 54 kilodalton polypeptide) is homologous to both eukarotic cytosolic SRP54 and the prokaryotic SRP54-homologous Ffh protein that mediates protein translocation into and across cell membranes. The LHCP-SRP complex interacts with the thylakoid protein insertion machinery in the chloroplast (cpFTSY, the chloroplastic SRP receptor, and ALB3.1, a thylakoid insertase, both of which, like cpSRP54, are encoded by nuclear genes), to insert the LHCP into the thylakoid membrane (Kirst & Melis (2014) Biotechnol Adv 32:66-72). Mutants in green algae (chlorophytes) displaying reduced antenna size have been isolated that have reduced or eliminated expression of, independently, the cpSRP43 gene, the ALB3.1 gene, and the CpFTSY gene (Bellafiore et al. (2002) The Plant Cell 14:2303-2314; Kirst et al. (2012) Plant Physiol 158:930-945; Kirst et al. (2012) Plant Physiol 160:2251-2260). The algal knockout mutants of the ALB3.1, CpFTSY, and cpSRP43 genes are reported to be leaky however, resulting in some assembly of the LHC proteins into the thylakoid, indicating possible functional overlap among these proteins (Kirst & Melis (2014) supra). No cpSRP54 mutants have been isolated in algae.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As described in the Examples herein, mutants of a green algal (Chlorophyte) Parachlorella strain that are impaired in their ability to increase their light harvesting antennae in response to low light were isolated. Genome analysis of these mutants revealed that several isolates have lesions in the cpSRP54 gene. These mutants exhibit enhanced photosynthetic efficiency and also demonstrate improved biomass productivity in assays in which the algae are exposed to continuous bright light as well as when assayed under a diel cycle light regimen that simulates outdoor pond light conditions. Further, a cytosolic SRP54 mutant in Nannochloropsis, a Eustigmatophyte alga, was found to have increased lipid productivity with respect to wild type cells

A first aspect of the invention is an algal mutant that has a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene. The mutant can be a classically-derived mutant or can be a recombinant alga. In some examples a mutant as provided herein that has a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can be obtained by chemical, UV, or gamma irradiation mutagenesis and screened for reduced chlorophyll under low light conditions using methods disclosed herein. Alternatively the mutant can be obtained by transformation with a nucleic acid construct that can insert in a non-targeted fashion into the genome to disrupt genes. In additional examples, a mutant having an altered, disrupted, or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can be an engineered mutant in which a gene encoding a cpSRP54 is targeted for mutation to result in a truncated, altered, deleted, or disrupted cpSRP54 gene. In some examples the mutated cpSRP54 gene is not mutated within the sequence encoding the first 169 amino acids of the GTPase domain of the cpSRP54 polypeptide. In some examples, a construct targeting expression of the cpSRP54 gene, such as, for example, an antisense construct, RNAi construct, or ribozyme construct, is introduced into an algal cell to reduce expression of the cpSRP54 gene. In additional examples, an engineered strain can be a strain in which a gene encoding cpSRP54 is knocked out, disrupted, or altered by homologous recombination or by genome editing, for example, using a TALEN or a cas/CRISPR system.

An algal mutant having a mutated cpSRP54 gene or attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 gene can have one or more of the following traits with respect to a control algal strain: total chlorophyll reduced by at least 20%, for example, reduced by at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, or at least 65%; a chlorophyll a:b ratio (for chlorophyte and charophyte algal mutants) that is increased by at least 20%, for example, by at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 40%, at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, or at least 80%; higher photochemical quenching (qP) at all physiological light intensities greater than about 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, e.g., at all physiological light intensities greater than 150 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, greater than 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or greater than 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹; decreased nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) at all physiological light intensities greater than 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, e.g., at all physiological light intensities greater than 150 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, greater than 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or greater than 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹; higher rates of electron transport through photosystem II (ETR(II)) at all physiological light intensities greater than about 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, e.g., greater than 150 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, greater than 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or greater than 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹; and greater photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)) at all physiological light intensities greater than 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ e.g., greater than 150 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, greater than 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or greater than 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹. In some exemplary embodiments, an algal mutant having a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can have all of the following traits with respect to a control algal strain: total chlorophyll reduced by at least 20%, increased chlorophyll a:b ratio (for chlorophyte or charyophyte algae) by at least 20%, and higher photochemical quenching (qP), decreased NPQ, higher rates of electron transport through photosystem II (ETR(II)), and greater photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)) at all physiological light intensities greater than 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

In any of the examples or embodiments set for the herein, comparisons with a control alga refer to comparisons with an alga that is substantially identical in all relevant respects to the mutant alga described and cultured and tested under identical conditions as described for the mutant alga, with the exception that the control alga does not have a mutated or attenuated SRP54 gene. For example, a control alga is of the same species and, with the exception of alterations to the cpSRP54 or cytosolic SRP54 gene or constructs for attenuating the cpSRP54 or cytosolic SRP54 gene present in the mutant, is genetically identical with the exception of small genome changes (e.g., “SNPs”) that do not affect cell physiology that may be incurred during mutagenesis through normal propagation. In various embodiments a control alga is a strain from which the mutant alga having attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 gene, or is a strain from which the mutant alga having attenuated expression of a cytosolic SRP54 gene is derived.

An algal mutant having a mutated cpSRP54 gene or an attenuated cpSRP54 gene can also have a higher rate of oxygen evolution than a control algal cell on a per chlorophyll basis. For example, an algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein can have at least 50%, at least 100%, at least 200%, at least 300%, or at least 400% greater oxygen evolution per mg chlorophyll with respect to a control alga. An algal mutant having a mutated cpSRP54 gene or an attenuated cpSRP54 gene can also have a higher rate of carbon fixation than a control algal cell on a per chlorophyll basis. For example, an algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein can have at least a 50%, at least a 60%, at least an 80%, or at least a 100% increase in the rate of carbon fixation per mg chlorophyll with respect to a control alga.

Further, an algal cpSRP54 mutant, i.e., an algal strain as provided herein having attentuated expression of a cpSRP54 gene or an altered or disrupted cpSRP54 gene can exhibit greater biomass productivity as compared with a control strain under diel cycle conditions. For example, an algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein can demonstrate greater biomass productivity when cultured under a diel cycle in which the light intensity changes throughout the light period to mimic exposure to natural light, under a diel cycle in which the light period has a constant light intensity, and under constant light.

The cpSRP54 gene that is mutated or whose expression is attenuated in an algal mutant as provided herein can be identified by homology to known cpSRP54 genes, and can include an SRP54 GTPase domain, and an SRP signal binding (SB) domain, and in some examples, further includes an N-terminal helical bundle domain. In nonlimiting examples, a cpSRP54 gene that is mutated or whose expression is attenuated can encode a polypeptide that has at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to any of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, or SEQ ID NO:14. Alternatively or in addition, the cpSRP54 gene that is mutated or whose expression is attenuated in an algal mutant as provided herein can be a gene encoding a GTPase domain (e.g., an SRP GTPase domain) having at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to any of SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, or SEQ ID NO:27. In some examples the mutated cpSRP54 gene is not mutated within the sequence encoding the first 165, 166, 167, 168, or 169 amino acids of the GTPase domain of the cpSRP54 polypeptide or is not mutated within the sequence encoding the GTPase domain.

An alga strain that has a mutated cpSRP54 gene can be any type of alga, and can be, as nonlimiting examples, a member of the green algae (chlorophytes), charophytes, or a member of the chromophytes, and can be a member of the diatoms (e.g., members of the bacillariophceae, coscinodisophyceae, or fragilariophyceae), pelagophytes, prasinophytes, glaucophytes, chlorarachniophytes, euglenophytes, eustigmatophytes, chromophytes, xanthophytes (yellow-green algae), or dinoflagellates. As nonlimiting examples, algal species used in the invention herein can be members of any of the genera Amphora, Ankistrodesmus, Aplanochytrium, Asteromonas, Aureococcus, Boekelovia, Bolidomonas, Borodinella, Botrydium, Botryococcus, Bracteacoccus, Carteria, Chaetoceros, Chlamydomonas, Chlorella, Chlorococcum, Chlorogonium, Chroomonas, Chrysophyceae, Chrysosphaera, Cricosphaera, Crypthecodinium, Cryptomonas, Cyclotella, Cyanidioschyzon, Desmodesmus, Dunaliella, Elina, Ellipsoidon, Emiliania, Eremosphaera, Ernodesmius, Euglena, Eustigmatos, Fragilaria, Fragilariopsis, Franceia, Gloeothamnion, Haematococcus, Hantzschia, Heterosigma, Hymenomonas, Isochrysis, Lepocinclis, Micractinium, Monodus, Monoraphidium, Nannochloris, Nannochloropsis, Navicula, Neochloris, Nephrochloris, Nephroselmis, Nitzschia, Ochromonas, Oedogonium, Oocystis, Ostreococcus, Parachlorella, Parietochloris, Pascheria, Pavlova, Pelagomonas, Phaeodactylum, Picochlorum, Platymonas, Pleurochrysis, Pleurococcus, Porphyridium, Prototheca, Pseudochlorella, Pseudoneochloris, Pseudostaurastrum, Pyramimonas, Pyrobotrys, Rholdella, Scenedesmus, Schizochlamydella, Skeletonema, Spyrogyra, Staurastrum, Stichococcus, Tetrachlorella, Tetraselmis, Thalassiosira, Tribonema, Vaucheria, Viridiella, Vischeria, and Volvox. In some embodiments, an algal mutant as provided herein having attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 gene is a member of the chlorophytes or charophytes, and may be, for example, a member of any of the Chlorophyte classes Chlorophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorodendrophyceae, Ulvophyceae, Pedinophyceae, or Prasinophyceae. For example, the algal mutant having attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 gene can be a species belonging to Chlorophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae, or Chlorodendrophyceae. In some embodiments, the mutant algal cell is a Chlorophyte algal cell, and may be a Chlorophyte algal cell of the Trebouxiophyceae class, for example, an algal cell of a species of a genus such as Botryococcus, Chlorella, Auxenochlorella, Heveochlorella, Marinichlorella, Parachlorella, Pseudochlorella, Tetrachlorella, Eremosphaera, Franceia, Micractinium, Nannochloris, Oocystis, Picochlorum, or Prototheca. In some aspects, the mutant alga having attenuated expression of a chloroplastic SRP54 gene can be a species belonging to a species of Auxenochlorella, Chlorella, Heveochlorella, Marinichlorella, Parachlorella, Pseudochlorella or Tetrachlorella.

Another aspect of the invention is a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:2. The polypeptide having at least 80% identity to SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:11 can include an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:15. The nucleic acid molecule in various examples can be or comprise a cDNA that lacks one or more introns present in the naturally-occurring gene. The nucleic acid molecule in various examples can have a sequence that is not 100% identical to a naturally-occurring gene. The nucleic acid molecule in various examples can comprise a heterologous promoter operably linked to the sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:2 and/or can comprise a vector that includes a sequence encoding a polypeptide having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:2.

A further aspect of the invention is a construct designed for attenuating expression of a gene encoding a cpSRP54 polypeptide. The construct can be or comprise, in various examples, a sequence encoding a guide RNA of a CRISPR system, an RNAi construct, an antisense construct, a ribozyme construct, or a construct for homologous recombination, e.g., a construct having one or more nucleotide sequences having homology to a naturally-occurring cpSRP54 gene of an alga or sequences adjacent thereto. For example, the construct can include at least a portion of a cpSRP54 gene, e.g., a sequence homologous to at least a portion of an cpSRP54 gene that encodes a polypeptide having at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to any of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, or SEQ ID NO:14. The construct can include, for example, at least a portion of the coding region of a cpSRP54 gene, at least a portion of an intron of a cpSRP54 gene, at least a portion of a 5′UTR of a cpSRP54 gene, at least a portion of the promoter region of a cpSRP54 gene, and/or at least a portion of a 3′ UTR of a cpSRP54 gene. In some examples, the construct can be an RNAi, ribozyme, or antisense construct and can include a sequence from the transcribed region of the cpSRP54 gene in either sense or antisense orientation. In further examples a construct can be designed for the in vitro or in vivo expression of a guide RNA designed to target a cpSRP54 gene, and can include a sequence homologous to a portion of a cpSRP54 gene, including, for example, an intron, a 5′UTR, a promoter region, and/or a 3′ UTR of a cpSRP54 gene. In yet further examples, a construct for attenuating expression a gene encoding a cpSRP54 polypeptide can be a guide RNA or antisense oligonucleotide, where the sequence having homology to a transcribed region of a cpSRP54 gene in antisense orientation.

Yet another aspect of the invention is a method of producing biomass or at least one algal product using a mutant alga of the invention. The methods can include culturing the alga having a mutant or attenuated cpSRP54 gene as provided herein to produce biomass or a product such as but not limited to one or more lipids, a polymer, a polyketide, a protein, a peptide, one or more amino acids, a carbohydrate, an alcohol, a nucleic acid, one or more nucleotides, nucleosides, or nucleobases, a vitamin, a cofactor, a hormone, an antioxidant, or a pigment or colorant. The method optionally further includes isolating at least one product from the culture. The mutant can produce more biomass or more of the algal product than is produced by a culture of a control microorganism that does not have a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene. The mutant alga can be cultured phototrophically and can be cultured in a pond or raceway. Also provided is a product made by an algal mutant as disclosed herein. Further included herein is an algal biomass comprising a mutant alga having a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene.

A further aspect of the invention is a mutant microorganism having attenuated expression of a gene encoding a gene encoding a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide, where the mutant microorganism produces more lipid than a control microorganism that does not have attenuated expression of the cytosolic SRP54 gene. A mutant as provided herein is a mutant generated by human manipulation, for example, a mutant obtained by classical mutagenesis using chemicals, UV irradiation, or gamma irradiation, or a mutant obtained by genetic engineering, for example, gene disruption, gene insertion, homologous recombination, antisense constructs, ribozymes, RNAi, or genome editing using TALENs or RNA-guided endonucleases, for example. The mutant microorganism having attenuated expression of a gene encoding a gene encoding a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide can be a photosynthetic microorganism, such as an alga, can be, for example a Chlorophyte, Charyophyte, Eustigmatophyte, or Bacillariophyte alga. In some embodiments the mutant microorganism can be a eukaryotic alga of the Bacillariophyte class, such as, for example, Achnanthes, Amphora, Amphiprora, Chaetoceros, Cyclotella Cylindrotheca, Fragilaria, Fragilariopsis, Navicula, Nitzschia, Phaeodactylum, Skeletonema, or Thalassiosira. In other embodiments the eukaryotic microagla having attenuated expression of a gene encoding a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide is a eukarytoic microalga of the Eustigmatophyte class, and can be, for example, a species of Ellipsoidion, Eustigmatos, Monodus, Nannochloropsis, Pseudostaurastrum, or Vischeria. For example, in some embodiments the mutant that has attenuated expression of a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide and demonstrates increased lipid productivity with respect to a control alga can be a species of Nannochloropsis. The mutant microorganism can have expression of the gene encoding a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide that is reduced but not eliminated with respect to a control microorganism, that is, some amount of functional protein is made that is less than the amount of functional protein made by a control or wild type microorganism or the mutant having attenuated expression of the gene encoding a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide can lack a functional cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide, for example, due to mutation such as but not limited to, introduction of a stop codon or reading frame shift or deletion of all or a portion of the gene such that essentially no functional protein is made. In some embodiments the mutant microorganism has attenuated expression of a cytosolic SRP54 gene that (in non-mutated form) encodes a polypeptide having at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:30. Alternatively or in addition, a mutant microorganism that has attenuated expression of a cytosolic SRP54 gene can have attenuated expression of a gene whose coding sequence has at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:29.

Further provided is a method of making lipid using a mutant microorganism having attenuated expression of a gene encoding a gene encoding a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide. The mutant microorganism can be any disclosed herein. The method includes: culturing a mutant microorganism having attenuated expression of a gene encoding a gene encoding a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide under conditions in which the mutant microorganism produces lipid. In various embodiments the method includes isolating at least one lipid from the microorganism, the culture medium or both. In various examples the mutant microorganism produces more lipid that a control microorganism substantially identical to the mutant microorganism having attenuated expression of a cytosolic SRP54 gene. The culture can be a batch, semi-continuous, or continuous culture, and in various embodiments the culture conditions are nitrogen replete. In various embodiments the culture conditions are nutrient replete. The culture conditions can be photoautotrophic, for example, the culture medium can lack an added sugar, organic acid, or other reduced carbon source able to be metabolized by the algal microorganism and can include inorganic carbon (e.g., carbonic acid, a carbonate salt, or carbon dioxide) as substantially the sole source of carbon for incorporation into cellular products such as lipid.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become more fully apparent when the following detailed description of the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of vector pSGE-6206 that includes a Cas9 protein codon optimized for Nannochloropsis that includes a nuclear localization sequence (NLS). Vector pSGE-6206 also includes a GFP gene.

FIGS. 2A-2C FIG. 2A) shows the readout from flow cytometry performed on a host cell line transformed with construct pSGE6202 that demonstrates full penetrance (single peak, shifted to the right with respect to control). FIG. 2B) shows the readout from flow cytometry performed on a host cell line transformed with construct pSGE6202 that does not demonstrate full penetrance (two peaks, one of which is coincident with control peak); FIG. 2C) is a Western blot of pSGE-6206 transformants with an antibody that recognizes the FLAG-tagged cas9 protein.

FIGS. 3A-3B FIG. 3A) is a graph showing the amount of chlorophyll per unit biomass of various SRP pathway Nannochloropsis mutants; FIG. 3B) provides the amount of chlorophyll per cell for the same mutants. GE-14792, cytosolic SRP54 knockout; GE-15272, chloroplastic Ftsy knockout; GE-15274, chloroplastic SRP54 (cpSRP54) knockout; GE-15315, Alb3 knockout.

FIGS. 4A-4B FIG. 4A) provides photosynthesis (oxygen evolution) versus light intensity curves (P-I curves) for the SRP pathway mutants, and FIG. 4B) provides the maximal photosynthesis rate (O₂ evolution) for each of the mutants. GE-14792, cytosolic SRP54 knockout; GE-15272, chloroplastic Ftsy knockout; GE-15274, chloroplastic SRP54 (cpSRP54) knockout; GE-15315, Alb3 knockout.

FIGS. 5A-5B FIG. 5A) provides a comparison of Pmax as assessed by 14C incorporation assays for various SRP pathway mutants, and FIG. 5B) provides the average total organic carbon (TOC) productivity of the mutants over a week-long culture period. GE-14792, cytosolic SRP54 knockout; GE-15272, chloroplastic Ftsy knockout; GE-15274, chloroplastic SRP54 (cpSRP54) knockout; GE-15315, Alb3 knockout.

FIGS. 6A-6B FIG. 6A) provides the average lipid (FAME) productivity of the mutants over the same day culture period as shown in FIG. 5B, and FIG. 6B) provides the FAME/TOC values over the course of the assay. GE-14792, cytosolic SRP54 knockout; GE-15272, chloroplastic Ftsy knockout; GE-15274, chloroplastic SRP54 (cpSRP54) knockout; GE-15315, Alb3 knockout.

FIGS. 7A-7B FIG. 7A) is a graph of maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) in response to increasing light intensity in Parachlorella cpSRP54 mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837, and FIG. 7B) is a graph of photochemical quenching (qP) in response to increasing light intensity in cpSRP54 mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837.

FIG. 8 is a graph of nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) in response to increasing light intensity in cpSRP54 mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837.

FIGS. 9A-9B FIG. 9A) is a graph showing electron transport rates through photosystem II (ETR(II)) in cpSRP54 mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837, and FIG. 9B) is a graph of photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)) in response to increasing light intensity in cpSRP54 mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the Parachlorella cpSRP54 gene showing the location of the mutations in mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837.

FIG. 11 is a tree showing the relationship of various algal cpSRP54 polypeptides.

FIGS. 12A-12B FIG. 12A) is a graph of biomass (total organic carbon) produced on successive days in a semicontinuous CL2000 assay culture of cpSRP54 mutant NE-07557 (diamonds) and wild-type (squares). Each point represents the TOC average of three cultures. FIG. 12B) is a graph of biomass (total organic carbon) produced on successive days in a semicontinuous HL2000 assay culture of cpSRP54 mutant NE-07557 (diamonds) and wild-type (squares). Each point represents the TOC average of three cultures.

FIGS. 13A-13B FIG. 13A) is a graphic depiction of the light intensity used during the light period of the SPCA assay over the course of the day (x axis), and FIG. 13B) is a graph of biomass (total organic carbon) produced on successive days in a semicontinuous assay (SCPA) culture of cpSRP54 mutant NE-07837 (diamonds) and wild-type (squares). The light varied in intensity throughout the day to mimic natural sunlight. Each point represents the TOC average of three cultures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention is related. Many of the techniques and procedures described or referenced herein are well understood and commonly employed using conventional methodology by those skilled in the art. The following terms are defined for purposes of the invention as described herein.

Definitions

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. In case of conflict, the present application including the definitions will control. Unless otherwise required by context, singular terms shall include pluralities and plural terms shall include the singular. All publications, patents and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entireties for all purposes as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

As used in the present disclosure and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” also include plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

All ranges provided within the application are inclusive of the values of the upper and lower ends of the range.

The term “and/or” as used in a phrase such as “A and/or B” herein is intended to include “A and B”, “A or B”, “A”, and “B”.

The term “gene” is used broadly to refer to any segment of a nucleic acid molecule (typically DNA, but optionally RNA) encoding a polypeptide or expressed RNA. Thus, genes include sequences encoding expressed RNA (which can include polypeptide coding sequences or, for example, functional RNAs, such as ribosomal RNAs, tRNAs, antisense RNAs, microRNAs, short hairpin RNAs, ribozymes, etc.). Genes may further comprise regulatory sequences required for or affecting their expression, as well as sequences associated with the protein or RNA-encoding sequence in its natural state, such as, for example, intron sequences, 5′ or 3′ untranslated sequences, etc. In some examples, “gene” may only refer to a protein-encoding portion of a DNA or RNA molecule, which may or may not include introns. A gene is preferably greater than 50 nucleotides in length, more preferably greater than 100 nucleotide in length, and can be, for example, between 50 nucleotides and 500,000 nucleotides in length, such as between 100 nucleotides and 100,000 nucleotides in length or between about 200 nucleotides and about 50,000 nucleotides in length, or about 200 nucleotides and about 20,000 nucleotides in length. Genes can be obtained from a variety of sources, including cloning from a source of interest or synthesizing from known or predicted sequence information.

The term “nucleic acid” or “nucleic acid molecule” refers to, a segment of DNA or RNA (e.g., mRNA), and also includes nucleic acids having modified backbones (e.g., peptide nucleic acids, locked nucleic acids) or modified or non-naturally-occurring nucleobases. The nucleic acid molecules can be double-stranded or single-stranded; a single stranded nucleic acid that comprises a gene or a portion thereof can be a coding (sense) strand or a non-coding (antisense) strand.

A nucleic acid molecule may be “derived from” an indicated source, which includes the isolation (in whole or in part) of a nucleic acid segment from an indicated source. A nucleic acid molecule may also be derived from an indicated source by, for example, direct cloning, PCR amplification, or artificial synthesis from the indicated polynucleotide source or based on a sequence associated with the indicated polynucleotide source. Genes or nucleic acid molecules derived from a particular source or species also include genes or nucleic acid molecules having sequence modifications with respect to the source nucleic acid molecules. For example, a gene or nucleic acid molecule derived from a source (e.g., a particular referenced gene) can include one or more mutations with respect to the source gene or nucleic acid molecule that are unintended or that are deliberately introduced, and if one or more mutations, including substitutions, deletions, or insertions, are deliberately introduced the sequence alterations can be introduced by random or targeted mutation of cells or nucleic acids, by amplification or other gene synthesis or molecular biology techniques, or by chemical synthesis, or any combination thereof. A gene or nucleic acid molecule that is derived from a referenced gene or nucleic acid molecule that encodes a functional RNA or polypeptide can encode a functional RNA or polypeptide having at least 75%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95%, sequence identity with the referenced or source functional RNA or polypeptide, or to a functional fragment thereof. For example, a gene or nucleic acid molecule that is derived from a referenced gene or nucleic acid molecule that encodes a functional RNA or polypeptide can encode a functional RNA or polypeptide having at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, or at least 99% sequence identity with the referenced or source functional RNA or polypeptide, or to a functional fragment thereof.

As used herein, an “isolated” nucleic acid or protein is removed from its natural milieu or the context in which the nucleic acid or protein exists in nature. For example, an isolated protein or nucleic acid molecule is removed from the cell or organism with which it is associated in its native or natural environment. An isolated nucleic acid or protein can be, in some instances, partially or substantially purified, but no particular level of purification is required for isolation. Thus, for example, an isolated nucleic acid molecule can be a nucleic acid sequence that has been excised from the chromosome, genome, or episome that it is integrated into in nature.

A “purified” nucleic acid molecule or nucleotide sequence, or protein or polypeptide sequence, is substantially free of cellular material and cellular components. The purified nucleic acid molecule or protein may be substantially free of chemicals beyond buffer or solvent, for example. “Substantially free” is not intended to mean that other components beyond the novel nucleic acid molecules are undetectable.

The terms “naturally-occurring” and “wild type” refer to a form found in nature. For example, a naturally occurring or wild type nucleic acid molecule, nucleotide sequence or protein may be present in and isolated from a natural source, and is not intentionally modified by human manipulation.

As used herein “attenuated” means reduced in amount, degree, intensity, or strength. Attenuated gene expression may refer to a significantly reduced amount and/or rate of transcription of the gene in question, or of translation, folding, or assembly of the encoded protein. As nonlimiting examples, an attenuated gene may be a mutated or disrupted gene (e.g., a gene disrupted by partial or total deletion, truncation, frameshifting, or insertional mutation), having decreased expression due to alteration or disruption of gene regulatory sequences, or may be a gene targeted by a construct that reduces expression of the gene, such as, for example, an antisense RNA, microRNA, RNAi molecule, or ribozyme.

“Exogenous nucleic acid molecule” or “exogenous gene” refers to a nucleic acid molecule or gene that has been introduced (“transformed”) into a cell. A transformed cell may be referred to as a recombinant cell, into which additional exogenous gene(s) may be introduced. A descendent of a cell transformed with a nucleic acid molecule is also referred to as “transformed” if it has inherited the exogenous nucleic acid molecule. The exogenous gene may be from a different species (and so “heterologous”), or from the same species (and so “homologous”), relative to the cell being transformed. An “endogenous” nucleic acid molecule, gene or protein is a native nucleic acid molecule, gene or protein as it occurs in, or is naturally produced by, the host.

The term “native” is used herein to refer to nucleic acid sequences or amino acid sequences as they naturally occur in the host. The term “non-native” is used herein to refer to nucleic acid sequences or amino acid sequences that do not occur naturally in the host. A nucleic acid sequence or amino acid sequence that has been removed from a cell, subjected to laboratory manipulation, and introduced or reintroduced into a host cell is considered “non-native.” Synthetic or partially synthetic genes introduced into a host cell are “non-native.” Non-native genes further include genes endogenous to the host microorganism operably linked to one or more heterologous regulatory sequences that have been recombined into the host genome.

A “recombinant” or “engineered” nucleic acid molecule is a nucleic acid molecule that has been altered through human manipulation. As non-limiting examples, a recombinant nucleic acid molecule includes any nucleic acid molecule that: 1) has been partially or fully synthesized or modified in vitro, for example, using chemical or enzymatic techniques (e.g., by use of chemical nucleic acid synthesis, or by use of enzymes for the replication, polymerization, digestion (exonucleolytic or endonucleolytic), ligation, reverse transcription, transcription, base modification (including, e.g., methylation), integration or recombination (including homologous and site-specific recombination) of nucleic acid molecules); 2) includes conjoined nucleotide sequences that are not conjoined in nature; 3) has been engineered using molecular cloning techniques such that it lacks one or more nucleotides with respect to the naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule sequence; and/or 4) has been manipulated using molecular cloning techniques such that it has one or more sequence changes or rearrangements with respect to the naturally occurring nucleic acid sequence. As non-limiting examples, a cDNA is a recombinant DNA molecule, as is any nucleic acid molecule that has been generated by in vitro polymerase reaction(s), or to which linkers have been attached, or that has been integrated into a vector, such as a cloning vector or expression vector.

The term “recombinant protein” as used herein refers to a protein produced by genetic engineering.

When applied to organisms, the term recombinant, engineered, or genetically engineered refers to organisms that have been manipulated by introduction of a heterologous or exogenous recombinant nucleic acid sequence into the organism, and includes gene knockouts, targeted mutations, gene replacement, and promoter replacement, deletion, or insertion, as well as introduction of transgenes or synthetic genes into the organism. Recombinant or genetically engineered organisms can also be organisms into which constructs for gene “knock down” have been introduced. Such constructs include, but are not limited to, RNAi, microRNA, shRNA, siRNA, antisense, and ribozyme constructs. Also included are organisms whose genomes have been altered by the activity of meganucleases, zinc finger nucleases, TALENs, or cas/CRISPR systems. An exogenous or recombinant nucleic acid molecule can be integrated into the recombinant/genetically engineered organism's genome or in other instances may not be integrated into the host genome. As used herein, “recombinant microorganism” or “recombinant host cell” includes progeny or derivatives of the recombinant microorganisms of the invention. Because certain modifications may occur in succeeding generations due to either mutation or environmental influences, such progeny or derivatives may not, in fact, be identical to the parent cell, but are still included within the scope of the term as used herein.

The term “promoter” refers to a nucleic acid sequence capable of binding RNA polymerase in a cell and initiating transcription of a downstream (3′ direction) coding sequence. A promoter includes the minimum number of bases or elements necessary to initiate transcription at levels detectable above background. A promoter can include a transcription initiation site as well as protein binding domains (consensus sequences) responsible for the binding of RNA polymerase. Eukaryotic promoters often, but not always, contain “TATA” boxes and “CAT” boxes. Prokaryotic promoters may contain −10 and −35 prokaryotic promoter consensus sequences. A large number of promoters, including constitutive, inducible and repressible promoters, from a variety of different sources are well known in the art. Representative sources include for example, algal, viral, mammalian, insect, plant, yeast, and bacterial cell types, and suitable promoters from these sources are readily available, or can be made synthetically, based on sequences publicly available on line or, for example, from depositories such as the ATCC as well as other commercial or individual sources. Promoters can be unidirectional (initiate transcription in one direction) or bi-directional (initiate transcription in either direction). A promoter may be a constitutive promoter, a repressible promoter, or an inducible promoter. A promoter region can include, in addition to the gene-proximal promoter where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription, additional sequences upstream of the gene that can be within 1 kb, 2 kb, 3 kb, 4 kb, 5 kb or more of the transcriptional start site of a gene, where the additional sequences can influence the rate of transcription of the downstream gene and optionally the responsiveness of the promoter to developmental, environmental, or biochemical (e.g., metabolic) conditions.

The term “heterologous” when used in reference to a polynucleotide, gene, nucleic acid, polypeptide, or enzyme refers to a polynucleotide, gene, nucleic acid, polypeptide, or enzyme that is from a source or derived from a source other than the host organism species. In contrast a “homologous” polynucleotide, gene, nucleic acid, polypeptide, or enzyme is used herein to denote a polynucleotide, gene, nucleic acid, polypeptide, or enzyme that is derived from the host organism species. When referring to a gene regulatory sequence or to an auxiliary nucleic acid sequence used for maintaining or manipulating a gene sequence (e.g. a promoter, a 5′ untranslated region, 3′ untranslated region, poly A addition sequence, intron sequence, splice site, ribosome binding site, internal ribosome entry sequence, genome homology region, recombination site, etc.), “heterologous” means that the regulatory sequence or auxiliary sequence is not naturally associated with the gene with which the regulatory or auxiliary nucleic acid sequence is juxtaposed in a construct, genome, chromosome, or episome. Thus, a promoter operably linked to a gene to which it is not operably linked to in its natural state (i.e. in the genome of a non-genetically engineered organism) is referred to herein as a “heterologous promoter,” even though the promoter may be derived from the same species (or, in some cases, the same organism) as the gene to which it is linked.

As used herein, the term “protein” or “polypeptide” is intended to encompass a singular “polypeptide” as well as plural “polypeptides,” and refers to a molecule composed of monomers (amino acids) linearly linked by amide bonds (also known as peptide bonds). The term “polypeptide” refers to any chain or chains of two or more amino acids, and does not refer to a specific length of the product. Thus, peptides, dipeptides, tripeptides, oligopeptides, “protein,” “amino acid chain,” or any other term used to refer to a chain or chains of two or more amino acids, are included within the definition of “polypeptide,” and the term “polypeptide” can be used instead of, or interchangeably with any of these terms.

Gene and protein Accession numbers, commonly provided herein in parenthesis after a gene or species name, are unique identifiers for a sequence record publicly available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) maintained by the United States National Institutes of Health. The “GenInfo Identifier” (GI) sequence identification number is specific to a nucleotide or amino acid sequence. If a sequence changes in any way, a new GI number is assigned. A Sequence Revision History tool is available to track the various GI numbers, version numbers, and update dates for sequences that appear in a specific GenBank record. Searching and obtaining nucleic acid or gene sequences or protein sequences based on Accession numbers and GI numbers is well known in the arts of, e.g., cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and molecular genetics.

As used herein, the terms “percent identity” or “homology” with respect to nucleic acid or polypeptide sequences are defined as the percentage of nucleotide or amino acid residues in the candidate sequence that are identical with the known polypeptides, after aligning the sequences for maximum percent identity and introducing gaps, if necessary, to achieve the maximum percent homology. N-terminal or C-terminal insertion or deletions shall not be construed as affecting homology, and internal deletions and/or insertions into the polypeptide sequence of less than about 30, less than about 20, or less than about 10 amino acid residues shall not be construed as affecting homology. Homology or identity at the nucleotide or amino acid sequence level can be determined by BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) analysis using the algorithm employed by the programs blastp, blastn, blastx, tblastn, and tblastx (Altschul (1997), Nucleic Acids Res. 25, 3389-3402, and Karlin (1990), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 2264-2268), which are tailored for sequence similarity searching. The approach used by the BLAST program is to first consider similar segments, with and without gaps, between a query sequence and a database sequence, then to evaluate the statistical significance of all matches that are identified, and finally to summarize only those matches which satisfy a preselected threshold of significance. For a discussion of basic issues in similarity searching of sequence databases, see Altschul (1994), Nature Genetics 6, 119-129. The search parameters for histogram, descriptions, alignments, expect (i.e., the statistical significance threshold for reporting matches against database sequences), cutoff, matrix, and filter (low complexity) can be at the default settings. The default scoring matrix used by blastp, blastx, tblastn, and tblastx is the BLOSUM62 matrix (Henikoff (1992), Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 10915-10919), recommended for query sequences over 85 in length (nucleotide bases or amino acids).

For blastn, designed for comparing nucleotide sequences, the scoring matrix is set by the ratios of M (i.e., the reward score for a pair of matching residues) to N (i.e., the penalty score for mismatching residues), wherein the default values for M and N can be +5 and −4, respectively. Four blastn parameters can be adjusted as follows: Q=10 (gap creation penalty); R=10 (gap extension penalty); wink=1 (generates word hits at every winkth position along the query); and gapw=16 (sets the window width within which gapped alignments are generated). The equivalent Blastp parameter settings for comparison of amino acid sequences can be: Q=9; R=2; wink=1; and gapw=32. A Bestfit comparison between sequences, available in the GCG package version 10.0, can use DNA parameters GAP=50 (gap creation penalty) and LEN=3 (gap extension penalty), and the equivalent settings in protein comparisons can be GAP=8 and LEN=2.

Thus, when referring to the polypeptide or nucleic acid sequences of the present invention, included are sequence identities of at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, of at least 70%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, or at least 85%, for example at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, or about 100% sequence identity with the full-length polypeptide or nucleic acid sequence, or to fragments thereof comprising a consecutive sequence of at least 50, at least 75, at least 100, at least 125, at least 150 or more amino acid residues of the entire protein; variants of such sequences, e.g., wherein at least one amino acid residue has been inserted N- and/or C-terminal to, and/or within, the disclosed sequence(s) which contain(s) the insertion and substitution. Contemplated variants can additionally or alternately include those containing predetermined mutations by, e.g., homologous recombination or site-directed or PCR mutagenesis, and the corresponding polypeptides or nucleic acids of other species, including, but not limited to, those described herein, the alleles or other naturally occurring variants of the family of polypeptides or nucleic acids which contain an insertion and substitution; and/or derivatives wherein the polypeptide has been covalently modified by substitution, chemical, enzymatic, or other appropriate means with a moiety other than a naturally occurring amino acid which contains the insertion and substitution (for example, a detectable moiety such as an enzyme).

As used herein, the phrase “conservative amino acid substitution” or “conservative mutation” refers to the replacement of one amino acid by another amino acid with a common property. A functional way to define common properties between individual amino acids is to analyze the normalized frequencies of amino acid changes between corresponding proteins of homologous organisms (Schulz (1979) Principles of Protein Structure, Springer-Verlag). According to such analyses, groups of amino acids can be defined where amino acids within a group exchange preferentially with each other, and therefore resemble each other most in their impact on the overall protein structure (Schulz (1979) Principles of Protein Structure, Springer-Verlag). Examples of amino acid groups defined in this manner can include: a “charged/polar group” including Glu, Asp, Asn, Gln, Lys, Arg, and His; an “aromatic or cyclic group” including Pro, Phe, Tyr, and Trp; and an “aliphatic group” including Gly, Ala, Val, Leu, Ile, Met, Ser, Thr, and Cys. Within each group, subgroups can also be identified. For example, the group of charged/polar amino acids can be sub-divided into sub-groups including: the “positively-charged sub-group” comprising Lys, Arg and His; the “negatively-charged sub-group” comprising Glu and Asp; and the “polar sub-group” comprising Asn and Gln. In another example, the aromatic or cyclic group can be sub-divided into sub-groups including: the “nitrogen ring sub-group” comprising Pro, His, and Trp; and the “phenyl sub-group” comprising Phe and Tyr. In another further example, the aliphatic group can be sub-divided into sub-groups including: the “large aliphatic non-polar sub-group” comprising Val, Leu, and Ile; the “aliphatic slightly-polar sub-group” comprising Met, Ser, Thr, and Cys; and the “small-residue sub-group” comprising Gly and Ala. Examples of conservative mutations include amino acid substitutions of amino acids within the sub-groups above, such as, but not limited to: Lys for Arg or vice versa, such that a positive charge can be maintained; Glu for Asp or vice versa, such that a negative charge can be maintained; Ser for Thr or vice versa, such that a free —OH can be maintained; and Gln for Asn or vice versa, such that a free —NH2 can be maintained. A “conservative variant” is a polypeptide that includes one or more amino acids that have been substituted to replace one or more amino acids of the reference polypeptide (for example, a polypeptide whose sequence is disclosed in a publication or sequence database, or whose sequence has been determined by nucleic acid sequencing) with an amino acid having common properties, e.g., belonging to the same amino acid group or sub-group as delineated above.

As used herein, “expression” includes the expression of a gene at least at the level of RNA production, and an “expression product” includes the resultant product, e.g., a polypeptide or functional RNA (e.g., a ribosomal RNA, a tRNA, an antisense RNA, a micro RNA, an shRNA, a ribozyme, etc.), of an expressed gene. The term “increased expression” includes an alteration in gene expression to facilitate increased mRNA production and/or increased polypeptide expression. “Increased production” includes an increase in the amount of polypeptide expression, in the level of the enzymatic activity of a polypeptide, or a combination of both, as compared to the native production or enzymatic activity of the polypeptide.

Some aspects of the present invention include the partial, substantial, or complete deletion, silencing, inactivation, or down-regulation of expression of particular polynucleotide sequences. The genes may be partially, substantially, or completely deleted, silenced, inactivated, or their expression may be down-regulated in order to affect the activity performed by the polypeptide they encode, such as the activity of an enzyme. Genes can be partially, substantially, or completely deleted, silenced, inactivated, or down-regulated by insertion of nucleic acid sequences that disrupt the function and/or expression of the gene (e.g., viral insertion, transposon mutagenesis, meganuclease engineering, homologous recombination, or other methods known in the art). The terms “eliminate,” “elimination,” and “knockout” can be used interchangeably with the terms “deletion,” “partial deletion,” “substantial deletion,” or “complete deletion.” In certain embodiments, a microorganism of interest may be engineered by site directed homologous recombination to knockout a particular gene of interest. In still other embodiments, RNAi or antisense DNA (asDNA) constructs may be used to partially, substantially, or completely silence, inactivate, or down-regulate a particular gene of interest.

These insertions, deletions, or other modifications of certain nucleic acid molecules or particular polynucleotide sequences may be understood to encompass “genetic modification(s)” or “transformation(s)” such that the resulting strains of the microorganisms or host cells may be understood to be “genetically modified”, “genetically engineered” or “transformed.”

As used herein, “up-regulated” or “up-regulation” includes an increase in expression of a gene or nucleic acid molecule of interest or the activity of an enzyme, e.g., an increase in gene expression or enzymatic activity as compared to the expression or activity in an otherwise identical gene or enzyme that has not been up-regulated.

As used herein, “down-regulated” or “down-regulation” includes a decrease in expression of a gene or nucleic acid molecule of interest or the activity of an enzyme, e.g., a decrease in gene expression or enzymatic activity as compared to the expression or activity in an otherwise identical gene or enzyme that has not been down-regulated.

As used herein, “mutant” refers to an organism that has a mutation in a gene that has arisen spontaneously or is the result of classical mutagenesis, for example, using gamma irradiation, UV, or chemical mutagens. “Mutant” as used herein also refers to a recombinant cell that has altered structure or expression of a gene as a result of genetic engineering that many include, as non-limiting examples, overexpression, including expression of a gene under different temporal, biological, or environmental regulation and/or to a different degree than occurs naturally and/or expression of a gene that is not naturally expressed in the recombinant cell; homologous recombination, including knock-outs and knock-ins (for example, gene replacement with genes encoding polypeptides having greater or lesser activity than the wild type polypeptide, and/or dominant negative polypeptides); gene attenuation via RNAi, antisense RNA, or ribozymes, or the like; and genome engineering using meganucleases, TALENs, and/or CRISPR technologies, and the like. A mutant organism of interest will typically have a phenotype different than that of the corresponding wild type or progenitor strain that lacks the mutation, where the phenotype can be assessed by growth assays, product analysis, photosynthetic properties, biochemical assays, etc. When referring to a gene “mutant” means the gene has at least one base (nucleotide) change, deletion, or insertion with respect to a native or wild type gene. The mutation (change, deletion, and/or insertion of one or more nucleotides) can be in the coding region of the gene or can be in an intron, 3′ UTR, 5′ UTR, or promoter region, e.g., within 2 kb of the transcriptional start site or within 3 kb or the translational start site. As nonlimiting examples, a mutant gene can be a gene that has an insertion within the promoter region that can either increase or decrease expression of the gene; can be a gene that has a deletion, resulting in production of a nonfunctional protein, truncated protein, dominant negative protein, or no protein; can be a gene that has one or more point mutations leading to a change in the amino acid of the encoded protein or results in aberrant splicing of the gene transcript, etc.

The term “Pfam” refers to a large collection of protein domains and protein families maintained by the Pfam Consortium and available at several sponsored world wide web sites, including: pfam.sanger.ac.uk/ (Welcome Trust, Sanger Institute); pfam.sbc.su.se (Stockholm Bioinformatics Center); pfam.janelia.org/ (Janelia Farm, Howard Hughes Medical Institute); pfam.jouy.inra.fr/ (Institut national de la Recherche Agronomique); and pfam.ccbb.re.kr. The latest release of Pfam is Pfam 27.0 (March 2013) based on the UniProt protein database release 2012_06. Pfam domains and families are identified using multiple sequence alignments and hidden Markov models (HMMs). Pfam-A family or domain assignments, are high quality assignments generated by a curated seed alignment using representative members of a protein family and profile hidden Markov models based on the seed alignment. (Unless otherwise specified, matches of a queried protein to a Pfam domain or family are Pfam-A matches.) All identified sequences belonging to the family are then used to automatically generate a full alignment for the family (Sonnhammer (1998) Nucleic Acids Research 26, 320-322; Bateman (2000) Nucleic Acids Research 26, 263-266; Bateman (2004) Nucleic Acids Research 32, Database Issue, D138-D141; Finn (2006) Nucleic Acids Research Database Issue 34, D247-251; Finn (2010) Nucleic Acids Research Database Issue 38, D211-222). By accessing the Pfam database, for example, using any of the above-reference websites, protein sequences can be queried against the HMMs using HMMER homology search software (e.g., HMMER2, HMMER3, or a higher version, hmmer.janelia.org/). Significant matches that identify a queried protein as being in a pfam family (or as having a particular Pfam domain) are those in which the bit score is greater than or equal to the gathering threshold for the Pfam domain. Expectation values (e values) can also be used as a criterion for inclusion of a queried protein in a Pfam or for determining whether a queried protein has a particular Pfam domain, where low e values (much less than 1.0, for example less than 0.1, or less than or equal to 0.01) represent low probabilities that a match is due to chance.

When referring to a photosynthetic organism, such as an algal, the term “acclimated to low light” means having the increased chlorophyll and photosynthetic properties of the photosynthetic organism after being exposed to a low light intensity for a period of time that is sufficient for changes in chlorophyll and photosynthetic properties to stabilize at the low light condition. Low light can be for example, less than 200 μE·m⁻²·s⁻¹ and preferably about 100 μE·m⁻²·s⁻¹ or less or 50 μE·m⁻²·s⁻¹ or less, and the period of time for acclimation can be for at least about four hours, at least about six hours, at least about eight hours, or at least about twelve hours, at least 24 hours, or at least 48 hours, and may be as long as 2, 3, 4, or 5 days.

A “cDNA” is a DNA molecule that comprises at least a portion the nucleotide sequence of an mRNA molecule, with the exception that the DNA molecule substitutes the nucleobase thymine, or T, in place of uridine, or U, occurring in the mRNA sequence. A cDNA can be double stranded or single stranded and can be, for example, the complement of the mRNA sequence. In preferred examples, a cDNA does not include one or more intron sequences that occur in the naturally-occurring gene that the cDNA corresponds to (i.e., the gene as it occurs in the genome of an organism). For example, a cDNA can have sequences from upstream of an intron of a naturally-occurring gene juxtaposed to sequences downstream of the intron of the naturally-occurring gene, where the upstream and downstream sequences are not juxtaposed in a DNA molecule in nature (i.e., the sequences are not juxtaposed in the naturally occurring gene). A cDNA can be produced by reverse transcription of mRNA molecules, or can be synthesized, for example, by chemical synthesis and/or by using one or more restriction enzymes, one or more ligases, one or more polymerases (including, but not limited to, high temperature tolerant polymerases that can be used in polymerase chain reactions (PCRs)), one or more recombinases, etc., based on knowledge of the cDNA sequence, where the knowledge of the cDNA sequence can optionally be based on the identification of coding regions from genome sequences or compiled from the sequences multiple partial cDNAs.

An algal mutant “deregulated in low light acclimation” (or a “Locked in High Light Acclimation” or LIHLA mutant) is a mutant that does not exhibit the changes in phenotype and gene expression that are characteristic of a low light acclimated wild type algal cell, including: a substantial increase in chlorophyll and a substantial increase in the expression of the majority of light harvesting complex protein (LHCP) genes. An algal mutant deregulated in low light acclimation, when acclimated to low light, has decreased expression with respect to low light acclimated wild type cells, of multiple genes (for example, at least ten, at least twenty, at least thirty, at least forty or at least fifty genes) that are upregulated during low light acclimation of wild type cells. Further, an algal mutant deregulated in low light acclimation has increased expression of genes with respect to low light acclimated wild type cells (for example, at least five, at least six, at least seven, at least eight, at least nine, or at least ten genes) that are downregulated during low light acclimation of wild type cells. Further, as disclosed herein, an algal mutant deregulated in low light acclimation may have photosynthetic properties that are significantly different than the photosynthetic properties of wild type cells when both mutant and wild type cells are acclimated to low light.

“Photosynthetic properties”, “photosynthetic properties”, “photophysiological properties”, or photophysiological parameters” include, without limitation, maximal photosynthetic rate, P_(max) (calculated on a per cell or per mg chlorophyll basis), the intensity at which photosynthesis saturates, Ek, as measured by oxygen evolution, and a (“alpha”) the initial slope of the photosynthesis (oxygen evolution) versus irradiance intensity (P/I) curve. Additional photosynthetic properties include various parameters that can be measured using fluorescence detection, including, for example, photosynthetic efficiency, Fv/Fm; the photosynthetic quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII), ϕPSII; photochemical quenching, or the proportion of open PSII centers, qP; nonphotochemical quenching, NPQ; PSII electron transport rate, ETR_(PSII); PSI electron transport rate, ETR_(PSI); cross-sectional size of PSI, and cross-sectional size of PSII. The listing here is not exhaustive, and the terms do not exclude other parameters that measure various aspects of photosynthesis.

Reference to properties that are “substantially the same” are intended to mean the properties are within 10%, and preferably within 5%, of the reference value.

Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. The materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and are not intended to be limiting. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and from the claims.

Chloroplastic SRP54 (cpSRP54) Mutants and Cytosolic SRP54 (cytoSRP54) Mutants

In the chloroplasts of green plants and algae, the insertion of LHCPs into the thylakoid membranes occurs by interaction of an LHCP that has been imported into the chloroplast stroma with the polypeptides cpSRP43 and cpSRP54 which together make up the chloroplastic signal recognition particle (cpSRP). The cpSRP54 protein is very similar to both the eukaryotic cytosolic SRP54 and the prokaryotic Ffh polypeptide that mediate the interaction of polypeptide with the SRP receptor. The cpSRP43 polypeptide however does not have an ortholog in prokaryotic and eukarotic secretion/membrane protein insertion systems, but rather appears to be an essential part of a specific SRP complex that inserts LHCPs into the thylakoid membranes. Co-translationally inserted thylakoid polypeptides (e.g., reaction center polypeptides) do not require SRP43 in the SRP complex for membrane insertion. In some algal species such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the chloroplastic SRP does not include an RNA molecule which is an integral part of the SRP complex in many eukaryotic cytosolic and prokaryotic secretion systems (Schunemann (2004) Curr Genet 44:295-304; Trager (2012) Plant Cell 24:4819-4836).

The structure of chloroplastic SRP54 corresponds to the domain structure of the cytosolic eukaryotic SRP54, having an SRP GTPase domain, and a SRP54 SB domain, and in some examples an SRP N (helical bundle) domain. These domains can be localized to protein sequences by using the CCD BLAST function at ncbi.gov or by using the search function of any of the Pfam database sites. For example, a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 polypeptide can have a domain matching Pfam PF00448 (SRP54 GTPase domain) with a bit score at least as high as the gathering cutoff of 22.7 and can have a domain matching Pfam PF02978 (SRP SPB domain) with a bit score at least as high as the gathering cutoff of 20.1. A cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 polypeptide can in some examples additionally have a domain matching Pfam PF02881 (SRP54 N domain) with a bit score at least as high as the gathering cutoff of 22.4 and in some examples may have not have a domain with a bit score that meets the gathering cutoff of 22.4 for Pfam PF02881 (SRP54 N domain). The identification of an SRP54 as chloroplastic can be by alignment of the protein sequence with other known cpSRP54 sequences (Trager et al. (2012) The Plant Cell 24:4819-4836 (see, Supplemental FIG. 4 and Supplemental Table 1, available at plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.112.102996). Although cpSRP54 mutants are known in higher plants (Pilgrim et al. (1998) Plant J 13:177-186; Amin et al. (1999) Plant Physiol 121:61-70), no SRP54 mutants have been isolated in algae, such as for example, chlorophyte, charophyte, or heterokont (e.g., members of the eustigmatophyceae, bacillariophyceae, coscinodiscophyceae, or fragilariophyceae) microalgae.

Microalgae as provided herein that have a mutated cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene can have a cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene with a mutation that inactivates the gene, e.g., results in no functional protein being made, or can be a mutation that results in a reduced amount of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 polypeptide being made with respect to a wild type cell. Attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 gene or of a cytoSRP54 gene can therefore be expression that is absent, undetectable, or reduced by any amount with respect to a wild type gene. For example, mRNA encoding a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 polypeptide can be quantitated in mutant cells to demonstrate attenuated expression, or a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 polypeptide can be detected with an antibody to demonstrate attenuated expression and/or an aberrant protein. Levels of mRNA or protein can be reduced, for example, from at least about 5% to greater than 99% with respect to a control strain in a mutant algal strain with attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene.

In some examples, a gene encoding a cpSRP54 gene has a mutation that changes at least one amino acid or results in a premature stop codon, where the mutation is outside the first 169 amino acids of the GTPase domain. In some examples of cpSRP54 mutants provided herein, the gene encoding a cpSRP54 has a mutation that is outside the GTPase domain.

In addition to mutations that occur within the coding sequence of a cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene, the inventors contemplate mutations in the promoter region, 5′ UTR, and 3′ UTR of a cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene. As nonlimiting examples, insertions of a nucleic acid sequence into any of these regions, or deletions in any of these regions, may result in decreased expression of the cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene.

In some examples, the microalga having a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene may be naturally haploid. In additional examples, the microalga having a mutant cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene may be diploid or polyploid and may have one, both, or all copies of the cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene mutated or attenuated. For example, a cpSRP54 mutant alga as provided herein can be a diploid alga and can have one or both copies of the cpSRP54 gene attenuated, for example, by an inactivating mutation or insertion. Alternatively or in addition, a cpSRP54 mutant alga as provided herein can be a haploid, diploid, or polyploid alga and can have include a construct for cpSRP54 gene attenuation, such as, for example, an RNAi or antisense construct that targets the cpSRP54 transcript. Similarly, a cytoSRP54 mutant alga as provided herein can be a diploid alga and can have one or both copies of the cytoSRP54 gene attenuated, for example, by an inactivating mutation or insertion. Alternatively or in addition, a cytoSRP54 mutant alga as provided herein can be a haploid, diploid, or polyploid alga and can have include a construct for cytoSRP54 gene attenuation, such as, for example, an RNAi or antisense construct that targets the cytosolic SRP54 transcript.

As disclosed in Example 8, the Parachlorella cpSRP54 gene (cDNA provided as SEQ ID NO:1) encodes a polypeptide having homology to SRP54 genes of other algae that are also predicted to be chloroplastic SRP54 genes. The Parachlorella cpSRP54 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO:2) has a polypeptide having homology to the cpSRP54 of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii A8J758; Gene ID: 5722916 Genbank accession EDP00260 GI:158274478 (SEQ ID NO:3); the cpSRP54 of Micromonas pusilla C1MLE1; Genbank accession EEH59526 GI:226462234 (SEQ ID NO:4); the cpSRP54 of Micromonas sp C1FE02 Genbank accession AC068481.1 GI:226522498 (SEQ ID NO:5); the cpSRP54 of Paulinella chromatophora B1X3Q8 Genbank accession ACB42577 GI:171191615 (SEQ ID NO:6); the cpSRP54 of Ostreococcus lucimarinus A4RQK2 Genbank accession AB094038 GI:144575969 (SEQ ID NO:7); the cpSRP54 of Ostreococcus tauri Genbank accession Q01H03 GI:122162028 (SEQ ID NO:8); the cpSRP54 of Volvox carteri D8UEN3 Genbank accession EFJ41797 GI:300257550 (SEQ ID NO:9); the cpSRP54 of Phaeodactylum tricornutum B7FXT4 Genbank accession EEC48599 GI:217408666 (SEQ ID NO:10); the cpSRP54 of Nannochloropsis gaditana (SEQ ID NO:11); the cpSRP54 of Thalassiosira pseudonana B8BUG8 Genbank accession EED94755 GI:220976428 (SEQ ID NO:12); the cpSRP54 of Aureococcus anophagefferens 323456635 Genbank accession EGB12501 GI:323456635 (SEQ ID NO:13); and the cpSRP54 of Ectocarpus siliculosus D8LN22 Genbank accession CBN76263, GI:299116639 (SEQ ID NO:14). In nonlimiting examples, a mutant microoalga as provided herein can have a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene that (as a nonmutated gene) encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 50% identity to any of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, and SEQ ID NO:14, for example, having at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80% or at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% sequence identity to a cpSRP54 selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, and SEQ ID NO:14. For example, a mutant microalga as provided herein can be a Chlorophyte alga, and can can have a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene that (as a nonmutated gene) encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80% or at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% sequence identity to a cpSRP54 selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:8. Alternatively or in addition, a mutant microalga as provided herein can have a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene that (as a nonmutated gene) encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence with at least 50% identity to any of SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, and SEQ ID NO:27, for example, having at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80% or at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% sequence identity to a cpSRP54 selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, and SEQ ID NO:27.

In particular nonlimiting examples, a mutant microalga as provided herein can have a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene that (as a nonmutated gene) encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 50% identity to any of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, and SEQ ID NO:14, wherein the cpSRP54 polypeptide further comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80% or at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence encoding a GTPase domain selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, and SEQ ID NO:27.

In some embodiments, a mutant microalga as provided herein is a chlorophyte alga and can have a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene that (as a nonmutated gene) encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 50% identity to any of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, and SEQ ID NO:9, and can additionally or alternatively be encode a cpSRP54 polypeptide that comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80% or at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence encoding a GTPase domain selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, and SEQ ID NO:22.

A mutant alga as provided herein that has a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene exhibits a reduced amount of total chlorophyll with respect to a control alga (e.g., a wild type alga or alga having the same genotype as the mutant alga other that the mutation or attenuation of expression of the cpSRP54 gene). Depending on the species, the mutant alga can have reduced chlorophyll a (e.g., for heterokont algae) or can have reduced chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b (e.g., for chlorophytes and charyophytes). In species that naturally have both reduced chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b (e.g., chlorophytes and charyophytes) the mutant alga can exhibit an increased chlorophyll a:b ratio. For example, the ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b can be increased by at least 15%, at least 20%, at least 25%, at least 30%, at least 35%, at least 40%, at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, or at least 80%.

The properties of a cpSRP54 mutant having a disrupted, attenuated, or otherwise directly or indirectly genetically manipulated cpSRP54 gene resulting in altered structure or expression of the cpSRP54 gene or of a cytosolic SRP54 mutant having a disrupted, attenuated, or otherwise directly or indirectly genetically manipulated cytosolic SRP54 gene resulting in altered structure or expression of the cytoSRP54 gene are compared with the same properties of a control alga that does not have a disrupted, attenuated, or otherwise directly or indirectly genetically manipulated SRP54 gene resulting in altered structure or expression of the SRP54 gene (regardless of whether the cell is “wild-type”). That is, a control cell is substantially identical to the cpSRP54 mutant or cytoSRP54 mutant except that it does not have a disrupted, attenuated, or otherwise directly or indirectly genetically manipulated cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene resulting in altered structure or expression of the cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene. For example, a control cell may be a wild type cell or may be a recombinant cell or a cell mutated in a gene other than the cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene.

In addition to having reduced chlorophyll with respect to a control alga, a mutant alga as provided herein that has a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can exhibit at least one of the following photophysiological properties characteristic of LIHLA mutants with respect to a control alga: increased Fv/Fm, increased photochemical quenching (qP) with respect to a control alga, decreased nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), increased electron transport rate through photosystem II ETR(II), and increased photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)). In some exemplary embodiments, an algal mutant as provided herein that has a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene demonstrates, with respect to a control alga, increased Fv/Fm, increased photochemical quenching (qP), decreased nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), increased electron transport rate through photosystem II ETR(II), and increased photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)).

For example, a cpSRP54 mutant can exhibit increased Fv/Fm with respect to a control microalga at all light intensities greater than about 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than about 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, at all light intensities greater than about 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than 10 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

Further, a mutant alga as provided herein that has a mutant or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can exhibit higher qP values with respect to a control microalga at all light intensities greater than 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, at intensities greater than about 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, at all light intensities greater than about 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than 10 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

In addition, a mutant alga as provided herein that has a mutant or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can exhibit lower NPQ values with respect to a control microalga at all light intensities greater than 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, at all light intensities greater than 150 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than about 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, at all light intensities greater than about 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than 10 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

Further additionally, a mutant alga as provided herein that has a mutant or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can exhibit higher photosystem II electron transport rates (ETR(II)) with respect to a control microalga at all light intensities greater than 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than 150 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, at all light intensities greater than 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

Yet further additionally, a mutant alga as provided herein that has a mutant or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can exhibit higher photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)) with respect to a control microalga at all light intensities greater than 250 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at all light intensities greater than 150 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, at light intensities greater than about 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, at all light intensities greater than about 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or at light intensities greater than 10 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and up to at least 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

Additionally to any of the above photophysiological properties, a mutant alga as provided herein that has a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can also exhibit higher rates of oxygen evolution with respect to a control alga. In some examples, a cpSRP54 mutant can exhibit at least a 50%, at least a 80%, at least a 100%, at least a 200%, at least a 200%, or at least a 350% higher rate of oxygen evolution on a per chlorophyll basis than a control alga. Further additionally, a mutant alga as provided herein that has a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can also exhibit higher rates of carbon fixation with respect to a control alga. In some examples, a cpSRP54 mutant can exhibit a rate or carbon fixation that is at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, or at least 100% higher than the rate of carbon fixation on a per chlorophyll basis of a control alga.

In some exemplary embodiments, an algal mutant as provided herein that has a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene demonstrates increased Fv/Fm with respect to a control alga, increased photochemical quenching (qP) with respect to a control alga, decreased nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) with respect to a control alga, increased electron transport rate through photosystem II ETR(II) with respect to a control alga, and increased photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)) with respect to a control alga, and further exhibits higher rates of oxygen evolution and higher rates of carbon fixation with respect to a control alga, for example, at light intensities greater than 250, greater than 150, greater than 75, or greater than 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

An algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein having a mutated or attenuated cpSRP54 gene can also exhibit greater productivity in a culture system, such as a photoautotrophic culture system. By “photoautotrophic culture system” it is meant that the culture medium does not provide a substantial amount of reduced carbon that can be metabolized by the cell. For example, in a photoautotrophic culture system any reduced carbon that is present in the medium that can be metabolized by the cell is present in an amount insufficient to support growth of the culture. In photoautotrophic cultures, any reduced carbon that may be present in small (sub-millimolar) amounts may be introduced in, for example, vitamins or trace metal salts that are inconsequential as a carbon or energy source to the algal culture.

An algal cpSRP54 mutant can demonstrate higher productivity, such as but not limited to higher biomass productivity, in a culture that experiences constant (24 hour per day) light or that experiences light on a diel cycle, where the light period may be, as nonlimiting examples, from 6 to 23 hours per 24 hour cycle and is typically from about 8 to about 16 hours per 24 hour cycle. Light provided during the light period of a diel cycle can be provided at a constant intensity or can be provided at an intensity that varies during the light period, for example, to mimic natural daylight such that the intensity increases from the beginning of the light period to peak in intensity at solar noon, after which the intensity declines to the end of the light period (see for example FIG. 11). In some examples, an algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein can have greater productivity, e.g., greater biomass productivity, under one or more of a constant light regime or a diel light regime that provides light of a constant or variable intensity. In some examples, an algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein can have greater productivity, e.g., greater biomass productivity, under a constant light regime as well as under a diel light regime that provides light of either a constant or variable intensity. In some examples, an algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein can have greater productivity, e.g., greater biomass productivity, under a diel light regime that provides peak light intensity of at least 1900 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹. For example, an algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein can accumulate at least 5%, at least 10% at least 15%, or at least 20% more biomass on a daily basis under a diel light regime that provides light of a variable intensity that peaks at between about 1900 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and about 2000 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹. In some examples, an algal cpSRP54 mutant as provided herein can have greater productivity, e.g., greater biomass productivity, under a diel light regime that mimics the intensity pattern of natural daylight, where the light profile follows a sinusoidal curve and provides peak light intensity of at least about 1900 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ and 2000 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ at the middle of the light period.

Gene Attenuation

An algal cpSRP54 mutant or cytosolic SRP54 mutant can be a mutant generated by any feasible method, including but not limited to UV irradiation, gamma irradiation, or chemical mutagenesis, and screening for low chlorophyll mutants having the photosynthetic properties disclosed herein. Methods for generating mutants of microbial strains are well-known. Mutants can be identified as cpSRP54 mutants or cytoSRP54 mutants by methods known in the art, including, for example, genome sequencing, PCR, immunodetection of the cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 protein, and expression analysis (e.g., reverse transcription/PCR).

An algal cpSRP54 mutant or cytoSRP54 mutant as provided herein can also be a genetically engineered algal mutant in the cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene, for example, that has been targeted by homologous recombination for knock-out or gene replacement (for example with a mutated form of the gene that may encode a polypeptide having reduced activity with respect to the wild type polypeptide). In additional examples, an algal strain of interest may be engineered by site directed homologous recombination to insert a particular gene of interest with or without an expression control sequence such as a promoter, into a particular genomic locus, or to insert a promoter into a genetic locus of the host microorganism to affect the expression of a particular gene or set of genes at the locus.

For example, gene knockout or replacement by homologous recombination can be by transformation of a nucleic acid (e.g., DNA) fragment that includes a sequence homologous to the region of the genome to be altered, where the homologous sequence is interrupted by a foreign sequence, typically a selectable marker gene that allows selection for the integrated construct. The genome-homologous flanking sequences on either side of the foreign sequence or mutated gene sequence can be for example, at least 50, at least 100, at least 200, at least 300, at least 400, at least 500, at least 600, at least 700, at least 800, at least 900, at least 1,000, at least 1,200, at least 1,500, at least 1,750, or at least 2,000 nucleotides in length. A gene knockout or gene “knock in” construct in which a foreign sequence is flanked by target gene sequences, can be provided in a vector that can optionally be linearized, for example, outside of the region that is to undergo homologous recombination, or can be provided as a linear fragment that is not in the context of a vector, for example, the knock-out or knock-in construct can be an isolated or synthesized fragment, including but not limited to a PCR product. In some instances, a split marker system can be used to generate gene knock-outs by homologous recombination, where two DNA fragments can be introduced that can regenerate a selectable marker and disrupt the gene locus of interest via three crossover events (Jeong et al. (2007) FEMS Microbiol Lett 273: 157-163).

In one aspect the invention provides genetically modified organisms, e.g. microorganisms having one or more genetic modifications for attenuating expression of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene. As used herein “attenuating expression of a cpSRP54/cytoSRP54 gene” means reducing or eliminating expression of the gene in any manner that reduces production of the fully functional protein.

For example, a recombinant microorganism engineered to have attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene can have a disrupted cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene, in which the recombinant microorganism can have a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene that includes as least one insertion, mutation, or deletion that reduces or abolishes expression of the gene such that a fully functional cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene is not produced or is produced in lower amounts than is produced by a control microorganism that does not include a disrupted cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene. The disrupted cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene can be disrupted by, for example, an insertion or gene replacement mediated by homologous recombination and/or by the activity of a meganuclease, zinc finger nuclease (Perez-Pinera et al. (2012) Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol. 16: 268-277), TALEN (WO 2014/207043; WO 2014/076571), or an RNA-guided endonuclease such as a cas protein (e.g., a Cas9 protein) of a CRISPR system.

CRISPR systems, reviewed recently by Hsu et al. (Cell 157:1262-1278, 2014) include, in addition to the cas nuclease polypeptide or complex, a targeting RNA, often denoted “crRNA”, that interacts with the genome target site by complementarity with a target site sequence, a trans-activating (“tracr”) RNA that complexes with the cas polypeptide and also includes a region that binds (by complementarity) the targeting crRNA.

The invention contemplates the use of two RNA molecules (a “crRNA” and a “tracrRNA”) that can be cotransformed into a host strain (or expressed in a host strain) that expresses or is transfected with a cas protein for genome editing, or the use of a single guide RNA that includes a sequence complementary to a target sequence as well as a sequence that interacts with a cas protein. That is, in some strategies a CRISPR system as used herein can comprise two separate RNA molecules (RNA polynucleotides: a “tracr-RNA” and a “targeter-RNA” or “crRNA”, see below) and referred to herein as a “double-molecule DNA-targeting RNA” or a “two-molecule DNA-targeting RNA.” Alternatively, as illustrated in the examples, the DNA-targeting RNA can also include the trans-activating sequence for interaction with the cas protein (in addition to the target-homologous (“cr”) sequences), that is, the DNA-targeting RNA can be a single RNA molecule (single RNA polynucleotide) and is referred to herein as a “chimeric guide RNA,” a “single-guide RNA,” or an “sgRNA.” The terms “DNA-targeting RNA” and “gRNA” are inclusive, referring both to double-molecule DNA-targeting RNAs and to single-molecule DNA-targeting RNAs (i.e., sgRNAs). Both single-molecule guide RNAs and two RNA systems have been described in detail in the literature and for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2014/0068797, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Any cas protein can be used in the methods herein, e.g., Cas1, Cas1B, Cas2, Cas3, Cas4, Cas5, Cas6, Cas7, Cas8, Cas9 (also known as Csn1 and Csx12), Cas10, Csy1, Csy2, Csy3, Cse1, Cse2, Csc1, Csc2, Csa5, Csn2, Csm2, Csm3, Csm4, Csm5, Csm6, Cmr1, Cmr3, Cmr4, Cmr5, Cmr6, Csb1, Csb2, Csb3, Csx17, Csx14, Csx10, Csx16, CsaX, Csx3, Csx1, Csx15, Csf1, Csf2, Csf3, Csf4, homologs thereof, or modified versions thereof. In some embodiments, the cas protein is a class II cas protein. The cas protein can be a Cas9 protein, such as a Cas9 protein of Staphylococcus pyogenes, S. thermophilus, S. pneumonia, S. aureus, or Neisseria meningitidis, as nonlimiting examples. Other Cas proteins of interest includes, without limitation, the Cpf1 RNA-guided endonuclease (Zetsche et al. (2015) Cell 163:1-13) as well as the C2c1, C2c2, C2c3 RNA-guided nucleases (Shmakov et al. (2015) Molecular Cell 60:1-13). Also considered are the Cas9 proteins provided as SEQ ID NOs:1-256 and 795-1346 in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2014/0068797, and chimeric Cas9 proteins that may combine domains from more than one Cas9 protein, as well variants and mutants of identified cas9 proteins. (For example, a Cas9 protein encoded by a nucleic acid molecule introduced into a host cell can comprise at least one mutation with respect to a wild-type Cas9 protein; for example, the Cas9 protein can be inactivated in one of the cleavage domains of the protein resulting in a “nickase” variant. Nonlimiting examples of mutations include D10A, H840A, N854A, and N863A.) The nucleic acid sequence encoding the Cas protein can be codon optimized for the host cell of interest.

Cas nuclease activity cleaves target DNA to produce double strand breaks. These breaks are then repaired by the cell in one of two ways: non-homologous end joining or homology-directed repair. In non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), the double-strand breaks are repaired by direct ligation of the break ends to one another. In this case, no new nucleic acid material is inserted into the site, although some nucleic acid material may be lost, resulting in a deletion, or altered, often resulting in mutation. In homology-directed repair, a donor polynucleotide (sometimes referred to as a “donor DNA” or “editing DNA”) which may have homology to the cleaved target DNA sequence is used as a template for repair of the cleaved target DNA sequence, resulting in the transfer of genetic information from the donor polynucleotide to the target DNA. As such, new nucleic acid material may be inserted/copied into the site. The modifications of the target DNA due to NHEJ and/or homology-directed repair (for example using a donor DNA molecule) can lead to, for example, gene correction, gene replacement, gene tagging, transgene insertion, nucleotide deletion, gene disruption, gene mutation, etc.

In some instances, cleavage of DNA by a site-directed modifying polypeptide (e.g., a cas nuclease, zinc finger nuclease, meganuclease, or TALEN) may be used to delete nucleic acid material from a target DNA sequence by cleaving the target DNA sequence and allowing the cell to repair the sequence in the absence of an exogenously provided donor polynucleotide. Such NHEJ events can result in mutations (“mis-repair”) at the site of rejoining of the cleaved ends that can resulting in gene disruption.

Alternatively, if a DNA-targeting RNA is co-administered to cells that express a cas nuclease along with a donor DNA, the subject methods may be used to add, i.e. insert or replace, nucleic acid material to a target DNA sequence (e.g. “knock out” by insertional mutagenesis, or “knock in” a nucleic acid that encodes a protein (e.g., a selectable marker and/or any protein of interest), an siRNA, an miRNA, etc., to modify a nucleic acid sequence (e.g., introduce a mutation), and the like.

A donor DNA can in particular embodiments include a gene regulatory sequence (e.g., a promoter) that can, using CRISPR targeting, be inserted upstream of the coding regions of the gene and upstream of the presumed proximal promoter region of the gene, for example, at least 50 bp, at least 100 bp, at least 120 bp, at least 150 bp, at least 200 bp, at least 250 bp, at least 300 bp, at least 350 bp, at least 400 bp, at least 450 bp, or at least 500 bp upstream of the initiating ATG of the coding region of the cpSRP54 gene. The donor DNA can include a sequence, such as for example a selectable marker or any convenient sequence, that may be interfere with the native promoter. The additional sequence inserted upstream of the initiating ATG of the cpSRP54 open reading frame (e.g., in the 5′UTR or upstream of the transcriptional start site of the cpSRP54 gene) can decrease or even eliminate expression of the endogenous cpSRP54 gene. Alternatively or in addition, the native cpSRP54 gene can have its endogenous promoter wholly or partially replaced by an weaker or differently regulated promoter, or a non-promoter sequence.

In some examples, a nucleic acid molecule introduced into a host cell for generating a high efficiency genome editing cell line encodes a cas9 enzyme that is mutated to with respect to the corresponding wild-type enzyme such that the mutated cas9 enzyme lacks the ability to cleave one or both strands of a target polynucleotide containing a target sequence. For example, an aspartate-to-alanine substitution (D10A) in the RuvC I catalytic domain of Cas9 from S. pyogenes converts Cas9 from a nuclease that cleaves both strands to a nickase (an enzyme that cleaves a single strand). Other examples of mutations that render Cas9 a nickase include, without limitation, H840A, N854A, and N863A. In some embodiments, a Cas9 nickase may be used in combination with guide sequenc(es), e.g., two guide sequences, which target respectively sense and antisense strands of the DNA target. This combination allows both strands to be nicked and used to induce NHEJ. Two nickase targets (within close proximity but targeting different strands of the DNA) can be used to inducing mutagenic NHEJ. Such targeting of a locus using enzymes that cleave opposite strains at staggered positions can also reduce nontarget cleavage, as both strands must be accurately and specifically cleaved to achieve genome mutation.

In additional examples, a mutant Cas9 enzyme that is impaired in its ability to cleave DNA can be expressed in the cell, where one or more guide RNAs that target a sequence upstream of the transcriptional or translational start site of the targeted gene are also introduced. In this case, the cas enzyme may bind the target sequence and block transcription of the targeted gene (Qi et al. (2013) Cell 152:1173-1183).

In some cases, a cas polypeptide such as a Cas9 polypeptide is a fusion polypeptide, comprising, e.g.: i) a Cas9 polypeptide (which can optionally be variant Cas9 polypeptide as described above); and b) a covalently linked heterologous polypeptide (also referred to as a “fusion partner”). A heterologous nucleic acid sequence may be linked to another nucleic acid sequence (e.g., by genetic engineering) to generate a chimeric nucleotide sequence encoding a chimeric polypeptide. In some embodiments, a Cas9 fusion polypeptide is generated by fusing a Cas9 polypeptide with a heterologous sequence that provides for subcellular localization (i.e., the heterologous sequence is a subcellular localization sequence, e.g., a nuclear localization signal (NLS) for targeting to the nucleus; a mitochondrial localization signal for targeting to the mitochondria; a chloroplast localization signal for targeting to a chloroplast; an ER retention signal; and the like). In some embodiments, the heterologous sequence can provide a tag (i.e., the heterologous sequence is a detectable label) for ease of tracking and/or purification (e.g., a fluorescent protein, e.g., green fluorescent protein (GFP), YFP, RFP, CFP, mCherry, tdTomato, and the like; a hemagglutinin (HA) tag; a FLAG tag; a Myc tag; and the like).

Host cells can be genetically engineered (e.g. transduced or transformed or transfected) with, for example, a vector construct that can be, for example, a vector for homologous recombination that includes nucleic acid sequences homologous to a portion of a cpSRP54 gene locus of the host cell or to regions adjacent thereto or a cytoSRP54 gene locus of the host cell or to regions adjacent thereto, or can be an expression vector for the expression of any or a combination of: a cas protein (e.g., a Class II cas protein), a CRISPR chimeric guide RNA, a crRNA, and/or a tracrRNA, an RNAi construct (e.g., a shRNA), an antisense RNA, or a ribozyme. The vector can be, for example, in the form of a plasmid, a viral particle, a phage, etc. A vector for expression of a polypeptide or RNA for genome editing can also be designed for integration into the host, e.g., by homologous recombination. A vector containing a polynucleotide sequence as described herein, e.g., sequences having homology to host cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene sequences (including sequences that are upstream and downstream of the cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54-encoding sequences), as well as, optionally, a selectable marker or reporter gene, can be employed to transform an appropriate host to cause attenuation of a cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene.

The recombinant microorganism in some examples can have reduced but not abolished expression of the cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene, and the recombinant microorganism can have a reduction in chlorophyll of from about 10% to about 90%, for example, a reduction in total chlorophyll from about 20% to about 80%. A genetically modified microorganism as provided herein can in some examples include a nucleic acid construct for attenuating the expression of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene. For example, a host microorganism can include a construct for expressing an RNAi molecule, ribozyme, or antisense molecule that reduces expression of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene. In some examples, a recombinant microorganism as provided herein can include at least one introduced (exogenous or non-native) construct for reducing expression of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene.

Engineered strains can be selected for expression of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene that is decreased with respect to a control cell that does not include a genetic modification for attenuating cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene expression, but not eliminated, using methods known in the art, such as, for example, RNA-Seq or reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR).

A genetically engineered strain as provided herein can be engineered to include a construct for attenuating gene expression by reducing the amount, stability, or translatability of mRNA of a gene encoding a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54. For example, a microorganism such as an algal or heterokont strain can be transformed with an antisense RNA, RNAi, or ribozyme construct targeting an mRNA of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene using methods known in the art. For example, an antisense RNA construct that includes all or a portion of the transcribed region of a gene can be introduced into a microorganism to decrease gene expression (Shroda et al. (1999) The Plant Cell 11:1165-78; Ngiam et al. (2000) Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66: 775-782; Ohnuma et al. (2009) Protoplasma 236: 107-112; Lavaud et al. (2012) PLoS One 7:e36806). Alternatively or in addition, an RNAi construct (for example, a construct encoding a short hairpin RNA) targeting a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene can be introduced into a microorganism such as an alga or heterokont for reducing expression of the cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene (see, for example, Cerruti et al. (2011) Eukaryotic Cell (2011) 10: 1164-1172; Shroda et al. (2006) Curr. Genet. 49:69-84).

Ribozymes are RNA-protein complexes that cleave nucleic acids in a site-specific fashion. Ribozymes have specific catalytic domains that possess endonuclease activity. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,855 reports that certain ribozymes can act as endonucleases with a sequence specificity greater than that of known ribonucleases and approaching that of the DNA restriction enzymes. Catalytic RNA constructs (ribozymes) can be designed to base pair with an mRNA encoding a gene as provided herein to cleave the mRNA target. In some examples, ribozyme sequences can be integrated within an antisense RNA construct to mediate cleavage of the target. Various types of ribozymes can be considered, their design and use is known in the art and described, for example, in Haseloff et al. (1988) Nature 334:585-591.

Ribozymes are targeted to a given sequence by virtue of annealing to a site by complimentary base pair interactions. Two stretches of homology are required for this targeting. These stretches of homologous sequences flank the catalytic ribozyme structure defined above. Each stretch of homologous sequence can vary in length from 7 to 15 nucleotides. The only requirement for defining the homologous sequences is that, on the target RNA, they are separated by a specific sequence which is the cleavage site. For hammerhead ribozyme, the cleavage site is a dinucleotide sequence on the target RNA is a uracil (U) followed by either an adenine, cytosine or uracil (A, C, or U) (Thompson et al., (1995) Nucl Acids Res 23:2250-68). The frequency of this dinucleotide occurring in any given RNA is statistically 3 out of 16. Therefore, for a given target messenger RNA of 1,000 bases, 187 dinucleotide cleavage sites are statistically possible.

The general design and optimization of ribozyme directed RNA cleavage activity has been discussed in detail (Haseloff and Gerlach (1988) Nature 334:585-591; Symons (1992) Ann Rev Biochem 61: 641-71; Chowrira et al. (1994) J Biol Chem 269:25856-64; Thompson et al. (1995) supra). Designing and testing ribozymes for efficient cleavage of a target RNA is a process well known to those skilled in the art. Examples of scientific methods for designing and testing ribozymes are described by Chowrira et al., (1994) supra and Lieber and Strauss (1995) Mol Cell Biol. 15: 540-51, each incorporated by reference. The identification of operative and preferred sequences for use in down regulating a given gene is a matter of preparing and testing a given sequence, and is a routinely practiced “screening” method known to those of skill in the art.

The use of RNAi constructs is described in literature cited above as well as in US2005/0166289 and WO 2013/016267, for example. A double stranded RNA with homology to the target gene is delivered to the cell or produced in the cell by expression of an RNAi construct, for example, an RNAi short hairpin (sh) construct. The construct can include a sequence that is identical to the target gene, or at least 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or between 95% and 100% identical to a sequence of the target gene. The construct can have at least 20, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, at least 100, at least 200, at least 300, at least 400, at least 500, at least 600, at least 700, at least 800, at least 900, or at least 1 kb of sequence homologous to the target gene. Expression vectors can be engineered using promoters selected for continuous or inducible expression of an RNAi construct, such as a construct that produces an shRNA.

A nucleic acid construct for gene attenuation, e.g., a ribozyme, RNAi, or antisense construct can include at least fifteen, at least twenty, at least thirty, at least forty, at least fifty, or at least sixty nucleotides having at least 80% identity, such as at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% or complementarity to at least a portion of the sequence of an endogenous cpSRP54 gene of the microorganism to be engineered. A nucleic acid construct for gene attenuation, e.g., a ribozyme, RNAi, or antisense construct can include at least fifteen, at least twenty, at least thirty, at least forty, at least fifty, or at least sixty nucleotides having at least 80%, such as at least 95% or about 100%, identity or complementarity to the sequence of a naturally-occurring gene, such as a gene having encoding a polypeptide having at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80% or at least 85%, at least 90%, or at least 95% sequence identity to an endogenous cpSRP54 gene. For example, a nucleic acid construct for gene attenuation, e.g., a ribozyme, RNAi, or antisense construct can include at least fifteen, at least twenty, at least thirty, at least forty, at least fifty, or at least sixty nucleotides having at least 80% identity or complementarity to the sequence of a naturally-occurring cpSRP54 gene, such as any provided herein. The nucleotide sequence can be, for example, from about 30 nucleotides to about 3 kilobases or greater, for example, from 30-50 nucleotides in length, from 50 to 100 nucleotides in length, from 100 to 500 nucleotides in length, from 500 nucleotides to 1 kb in length, from 1 kb to 2 kb in length, or from 2 to 5 kb. For example, an antisense sequence can be from about 100 nucleotides to about 1 kb in length. For example, a nucleic acid construct for gene attenuation, e.g., a ribozyme, RNAi, or antisense construct can include at least fifteen, at least twenty, at least thirty, at least forty, at least fifty, at least sixty, or at least 100 nucleotides having at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, at least 70%, at least 75%, at least 80%, or at least 85%, for example at least 86%, at least 87%, at least 88%, at least 89%, at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, or at least 95% identity or complementarity to an endogenous cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene or a portion thereof.

Promoters used in antisense, RNAi, or ribozyme constructs can be any that are functional in the host organism and that are suitable for the levels of expression required for reducing expression of the target gene to a desired amount. Promoters functional in algae and heterokonts are known in the art and disclosed herein. The construct can be transformed into algae using any feasible method, include any disclosed herein. A recombinant organism or microorganism transformed with a nucleic acid molecule for attenuating cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene expression, such as but not limited to an antisense, RNAi, or ribozyme construct, can have the properties of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 mutant as described herein, including, for example, reduced chlorophyll, increased photosynthetic efficiency, and increased productivity in culture, with respect to a host organism or microorganism that does not include the exogenous nucleic acid molecule that results in attenuated gene expression.

Nucleic Acid Molecules and Constructs

Also provided herein are nucleic acid molecules and nucleic acid constructs. For example, provided herein are nucleic acid molecules that encode a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, to SEQ ID NO:2. In some examples, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a cDNA sequence. In some examples, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a heterologous promoter operably linked to the nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having a sequence polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, to SEQ ID NO:2. In some examples, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a vector.

Additionally considered are nucleic acid molecules that encode a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, to SEQ ID NO:30. In some examples, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a cDNA sequence. In some examples, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a heterologous promoter operably linked to the nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having a sequence polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 96%, at least 97%, at least 98%, at least 99%, to SEQ ID NO:30. In some examples, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a vector.

Further provided are nucleic acid constructs for attenuating expression of a cpSRP54 gene. In various examples, provided herein is a nucleic acid molecule having at least 85%, at least 95% to at least a portion of a gene encoding any of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, and SEQ ID NO:14, wherein the nucleic acid molecule encodes a guide RNA of a CRISPR system. The nucleic acid molecule can include, for example at least 17, at least 18, at least 19, at least 20, at least 21, at least 22, at least 23, at least 24, or at least 25 nucleotides of sequence of a naturally occurring cpSRP54 gene, such as SEQ ID NO:1.

Also provided are nucleic acid constructs for attenuating expression of a cytoSRP54 gene. For example, a nucleic acid molecule can include, for example at least 17, at least 18, at least 19, at least 20, at least 21, at least 22, at least 23, at least 24, or at least 25 nucleotides of sequence of a naturally occurring cytoSRP54 gene, such as SEQ ID NO:29.

In addition, provided herein are antisense, ribozyme, or RNAi constructs that include at least a portion of a gene encoding a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 of a microalgal species, in which a promoter, such as a heterologous promoter, is operably linked to the cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene sequence and the cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene sequence is in antisense orientation.

Further, provided herein are constructs for homologous recombination that include at least one sequence from a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene locus of the genome of an alga juxtaposed with a heterologous nucleic acid sequence that can be, in nonlimiting examples, a selectable marker or detectable marker gene. In some examples a construct for homologous recombination includes two nucleic acid sequences from a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene locus of the genome of an alga where the two sequences flank a heterologous sequence for insertion into the cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene locus.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of transformation methods can be used for genetic transformation of microorganisms and, therefore, can be deployed for the methods of the present invention. “Stable transformation” is intended to mean that the nucleic acid construct introduced into an organism integrates into the genome of the organism or is part of a stable episomal construct and is capable of being inherited by the progeny thereof. “Transient transformation” is intended to mean that a polynucleotide is introduced into the organism and does not integrate into the genome or otherwise become established and stably inherited by successive generations.

Genetic transformation can result in stable insertion and/or expression of transgenes, constructs from either the nucleus or the plastid, and in some cases can result in transient expression of transgenes. The transformation methods can also be used for the introduction of guide RNAs or editing DNAs. Genetic transformation of microalgae has been reported successful for more than 30 different strains of microalgae, which belong to at least ˜22 species of green, red, and brown algae, diatoms, euglenids, and dianoflagellates (see, e.g., Radakovits et al., Eukaryotic Cell, 2010; and Gong et al., J. Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 2011). Non-limiting examples of such useful transformation methods include agitation of cells in the presence of glass beads or silicon carbide whiskers as reported by, for example, Dunahay, Biotechniques, 15(3):452-460, 1993; Kindle, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1990; Michael and Miller, Plant J., 13, 427-435, 1998. Electroporation techniques have been successfully used for genetic transformation of several microalgal species including Nannochloropsis sp. (see, e.g., Chen et al., J. Phycol., 44:768-76, 2008), Chlorella sp. (see, e.g., Chen et al., Curr. Genet., 39:365-370, 2001; Chow and Tung, Plant Cell Rep. Vol. 18, No. 9, 778-780, 1999), Chlamydomonas (Shimogawara et al., Genetics, 148: 1821-1828, 1998), Dunaliella (Sun et al., Mol. Biotechnol., 30(3): 185-192, 2005). Micro-projectile bombardment, also referred to as microparticle bombardment, gene gun transformation, or biolistic bombardment, has been used successfully for several algal species including, for example, diatoms species such as Phaeodactylum (Apt et al., Mol. Gen. Genet., 252:572-579, 1996), Cyclotella and Navicula (Dunahay et al., J. Phycol., 31:1004-1012, 1995), Cylindrotheca (Fischer et al., J. Phycol., 35:113-120, 1999), and Chaetoceros sp. (Miyagawa-Yamaguchi et al., Phycol. Res. 59: 113-119, 2011), as well as green algal species such as Chlorella (El-Sheekh, Biologia Plantarum, Vol. 42, No. 2: 209-216, 1999), and Volvox species (Jakobiak et al., Protist, 155:381-93, 2004). Additionally, Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer techniques can also be useful for genetic transformation of microalgae, as has been reported by, for example, Kumar, Plant Sci., 166(3):731-738, 2004, and Cheney et al., J. Phycol., Vol. 37, Suppl. 11, 2001.

A transformation vector or construct as described herein will typically comprise a marker gene that confers a selectable or scorable phenotype on target host cells, e.g., algal cells or may be co-transformed with a construct that includes a marker. A number of selectable markers have been successfully developed for efficient isolation of genetic transformants of algae. Common selectable markers include antibiotic resistance, fluorescent markers, and biochemical markers. Several different antibiotic resistance genes have been used successfully for selection of microalgal transformants, including blastocydin, bleomycin (see, for example, Apt et al., 1996, supra; Fischer et al., 1999, supra; Fuhrmann et al., Plant J., 19, 353-61, 1999, Lumbreras et al., Plant J., 14(4):441-447, 1998; Zaslayskaia et al., J. Phycol., 36:379-386, 2000), spectinomycin (Cerutti et al., Genetics, 145: 97-110, 1997; Doetsch et al., Curr. Genet., 39, 49-60, 2001; Fargo, Mol. Cell. Biol., 19:6980-90, 1999), streptomycin (Berthold et al., Protist, 153:401-412, 2002), paromomycin (Jakobiak et al., Protist, supra.; Sizova et al., Gene, 277:221-229, 2001), nourseothricin (Zaslayskaia et al., 2000, supra), G418 (Dunahay et al., 1995, supra; Poulsen and Kroger, FEBS Lett., 272:3413-3423, 2005, Zaslayskaia et al., 2000, supra), hygromycin (Berthold et al., 2002, supra), chloramphenicol (Poulsen and Kroger, 2005, supra), and many others. Additional selectable markers for use in microalgae such as Chlamydomonas can be markers that provide resistance to kanamycin and amikacin resistance (Bateman, Mol. Gen. Genet. 263:404-10, 2000), zeomycin and phleomycin (e.g., ZEOCIN™ pheomycin D1) resistance (Stevens, Mol. Gen. Genet. 251:23-30, 1996), and paramomycin and neomycin resistance (Sizova et al., 2001, supra). Other fluorescent or chromogenic markers that have been used include luciferase (Falciatore et al., J. Mar. Biotechnol., 1: 239-251, 1999; Fuhrmann et al., Plant Mol. Biol., 2004; Jarvis and Brown, Curr. Genet., 19: 317-322, 1991), β-glucuronidase (Chen et al., 2001, supra; Cheney et al., 2001, supra; Chow and Tung, 1999, supra; E1-Sheekh, 1999, supra; Falciatore et al., 1999, supra; Kubler et al., J. Mar. Biotechnol., 1:165-169, 1994), β-galactosidase (Gan et al., J. Appl. Phycol., 15:345-349, 2003; Jiang et al., Plant Cell Rep., 21:1211-1216, 2003; Qin et al., High Technol. Lett., 13:87-89, 2003), and green fluorescent protein (GFP) (Cheney et al., 2001, supra; Ender et al., Plant Cell, 2002, Franklin et al., Plant J., 2002; 56, 148, 210).

One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that a variety of known promoter sequences can be usefully deployed for transformation systems of microalgal species in accordance with the present invention. For example, the promoters commonly used to drive transgene expression in microalgae include various versions of the of cauliflower mosaic virus promoter 35S (CaMV35S), which has been used in both dinoflagellates and chlorophyta (Chow et al, Plant Cell Rep., 18:778-780, 1999; Jarvis and Brown, Curr. Genet., 317-321, 1991; Lohuis and Miller, Plant J., 13:427-435, 1998). The SV40 promoter from simian virus has also reported to be active in several algae (Gan et al., J. Appl. Phycol., 151 345-349, 2003; Qin et al., Hydrobiologia 398-399, 469-472, 1999). The promoters of RBCS2 (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase, small subunit) (Fuhrmann et al., Plant J., 19:353-361, 1999) and PsaD (abundant protein of photosystem I complex; Fischer and Rochaix, FEBS Lett. 581:5555-5560, 2001) from Chlamydomonas can also be useful. The fusion promoters of HSP70A/RBCS2 and HSP70A/β2TUB (tubulin) (Schroda et al., Plant J., 21:121-131, 2000) can also be useful for an improved expression of transgenes, in which HSP70A promoter may serve as a transcriptional activator when placed upstream of other promoters. High-level expression of a gene of interest can also be achieved in, for example diatoms species, under the control of a promoter of an fcp gene encoding a diatom fucoxanthin-chlorophyll a/b binding protein (Falciatore et al., Mar. Biotechnol., 1:239-251, 1999; Zaslayskaia et al., J. Phycol. 36:379-386, 2000) or the vcp gene encoding a eustigmatophyte violaxanthin-chlorophyll a/b binding protein (see U.S. Pat. No. 8,318,482). If so desired, inducible promoters can provide rapid and tightly controlled expression of genes in transgenic microalgae. For example, promoter regions of the NR genes encoding nitrate reductase can be used as such inducible promoters. The NR promoter activity is typically suppressed by ammonium and induced when ammonium is replaced by nitrate (Poulsen and Kroger, FEBS Lett 272:3413-3423, 2005), thus gene expression can be switched off or on when microalgal cells are grown in the presence of ammonium/nitrate. Additional algal promoters that can find use in the constructs and transformation systems provided herein include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,883,993; U.S. Patent Appl. Pub. No. US 2013/0023035; U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 2013/0323780; and U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. US 2014/0363892.

Host cells can be either untransformed cells or cells that are already transfected with at least one nucleic acid molecule. For example, an algal host cell that is engineered to have attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 gene can further include one or more genes that may confer any desirable trait, such as, but not limited to, increased production of biomolecules of interest, such as one or more proteins, pigments, alcohols, or lipids.

Mutant Strains

An algal strain having a mutated cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene which can be, in various examples, a strain genetically engineered to have attenuated expression of a cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 gene, can be any eukaryotic microalgal strain such as, for example, a species of any of the genera Achnanthes, Amphiprora, Amphora, Ankistrodesmus, Asteromonas, Boekelovia, Bolidomonas, Borodinella, Botrydium, Botryococcus, Bracteococcus, Chaetoceros, Carteria, Chlamydomonas, Chlorococcum, Chlorogonium, Chlorella, Chroomonas, Chrysosphaera, Cricosphaera, Crypthecodinium, Cryptomonas, Cyclotella, Desmodesmus, Dunaliella, Elipsoidon, Emiliania, Eremosphaera, Ernodesmius, Euglena, Eustigmatos, Franceia, Fragilaria, Fragilaropsis, Gloeothamnion, Haematococcus, Hantzschia, Heterosigma, Hymenomonas, Isochrysis, Lepocinclis, Micractinium, Monodus, Monoraphidium, Nannochloris, Nannochloropsis, Navicula, Neochloris, Nephrochloris, Nephroselmis, Nitzschia, Ochromonas, Oedogonium, Oocystis, Ostreococcus, Parachlorella, Parietochloris, Pascheria, Pavlova, Pelagomonas, Phaeodactylum, Phagus, Picochlorum, Platymonas, Pleurochrysis, Pleurococcus, Prototheca, Pseudochlorella, Pseudoneochloris, Pseudostaurastrum, Pyramimonas, Pyrobotrys, Scenedesmus, Schizochlamydella, Skeletonema, Spyrogyra, Stichococcus, Tetrachlorella, Tetraselmis, Thalassiosira, Tribonema, Vaucheria, Viridiella, Vischeria, and Volvox.

For example, an alga having a mutation in a cpSRP54 gene or cytoSRP54 gene as disclosed herein can be a species belonging to any of the phyla ochrophyta (including members of the bacillariophyceae, coscinodiscophyceae, fragilariophyceae, eustigmatophyceae, xanthophyceae, pelagophyceae, chrysophyceae, raphidophyceae, and synurophyceae), haptophyta (including members of the coccolithophyceae and pavlophyceae), and chlorophyta (including members of the trebouxiophyceae, chlorophyceae, nephrophyceae, pyramimonadophyceae, ulvophyceae, mamiellophyceae, and chlorodendrophyceae), as well as the charyophyta, euglenoids, and dinoflagellates.

In some embodiments of the present application, preferred microorganisms to genetically engineer include, but are not limited to, chlorophyte species such as Chlorella, Parachlorella, Pseudochlorella, Tetrachlorella, Auxenochlorella, Prototheca, Oocystis, Franceia, Micratinium, Picochlorum, Nannochloris, Schizochlamydella, Eremosphaera, Stichococcus, Botryococcus, Viridiella, Parietochloris Borodinella, Bracteacoccus, Neochloris, Monoraphidium, Desmodesmus, Scenedesmus, Ankistrodesmus, Carteria, Chlamydomonas, Chlorococcum, Chlorogonium, Volvox, Platymonas, Dunaliella, Haematococcus, Asteromonas, Pyrobotrys, Oedogonium, Nephroselmis, Pleurococcus, Pyramimonas, Pseudoneochloris, Ostreococcus, Tetraselmis, and Staurastrum.

In other examples, mutants can be engineered or isolated using a heterokont algal species such as a diatom species such as, for example, a species of any of the genera Amphora, Chaetoceros, Cyclotella, Fragilaria, Fragilaropsis, Hantzschia, Navicula, Nitzschia, Phceodactylum, or Thalassiosira. In further examples a mutant as disclosed herein is a species of the Eustigmatophyceae class, such as, for example, a species of Ellipsoidion, Eustigmatos, Vischeria, Monodus, Nannochloropsis, or Pseudostaurastrum. Other genera of the Ochrophyta that may be considered include, without limitation, Boldimonas, Botrydium, Baucheria, Tribonema, Monodus, Aureococcus, Bigeloweilla, Pelagomomas, Chrysosphaera, Ochromonas, Heterosigma, Nephrochloris, Boekelovia, Cricosphaera, Hymenomonas, Isochrysis, Pleurochrysis, and Pavlova.

Methods of Producing Algal Products

Also provided herein are methods of producing algal products by culturing algae having increased photosynthetic efficiency, such as the cpSRP54 mutants or cytoSRP54 mutants disclosed herein. The methods include culturing an algal cpSRP54 mutant or cytoSRP54 mutant in a suitable medium to provide an algal culture and recovering biomass or at least one product from the culture. In some embodiments the product is a lipid. The algal culture is preferably a photoautotrophic culture, and the culture medium preferably does not include a substantial amount of reduced carbon, that is, the culture does not include reduced carbon in a form or at a level that can be used by the algae for growth.

The algae may be cultured in any suitable vessel, including flasks or bioreactors, where the algae may be exposed to artificial or natural light. The culture comprising mutant algae may be cultured on a light/dark cycle that may be, for example, a natural or programmed light/dark cycle, and as illustrative examples, may provide twelve hours of light to twelve hours of darkness, fourteen hours of light to ten hours of darkness, sixteen hours of light to eight hours of darkness, etc.

Culturing refers to the intentional fostering of growth (e.g., increases in cell size, cellular contents, and/or cellular activity) and/or propagation (e.g., increases in cell numbers via mitosis) of one or more cells by use of selected and/or controlled conditions. The combination of both growth and propagation may be termed proliferation. As demonstrated in the examples herein, the mutants provided herein exhibiting deregulated adaptation to low light intensity can achieve higher cell density of the culture over time, for example, over a period of a week or more, with respect to a culture wild type algal cells of the same strain that are not deregulated in low light acclimation. For example, a cpSRP54 mutant may be cultured for at least five, at least six, at least seven at least eight, at least nine, at least ten, at least eleven at least twelve, at least thirteen, at least fourteen, or at least fifteen days, or at least one, two three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten weeks, or longer.

Non-limiting examples of selected and/or controlled conditions that can be used for culturing the recombinant microorganism can include the use of a defined medium (with known characteristics such as pH, ionic strength, and/or carbon source), specified temperature, oxygen tension, carbon dioxide levels, growth in a bioreactor, or the like, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the microorganism or host cell can be grown mixotrophically, using both light and a reduced carbon source. Alternatively, the microorganism or host cell can be cultured phototrophically. When growing phototrophically, the algal strain can advantageously use light as an energy source. An inorganic carbon source, such as CO₂ or bicarbonate can be used for synthesis of biomolecules by the microorganism. “Inorganic carbon”, as used herein, includes carbon-containing compounds or molecules that cannot be used as a sustainable energy source by an organism. Typically “inorganic carbon” can be in the form of CO₂ (carbon dioxide), carbonic acid, bicarbonate salts, carbonate salts, hydrogen carbonate salts, or the like, or combinations thereof, which cannot be further oxidized for sustainable energy nor used as a source of reducing power by organisms. A microorganism grown photoautotrophically can be grown on a culture medium in which inorganic carbon is substantially the sole source of carbon. For example, in a culture in which inorganic carbon is substantially the sole source of carbon, any organic (reduced) carbon molecule or organic carbon compound that may be provided in the culture medium either cannot be taken up and/or metabolized by the cell for energy and/or is not present in an amount sufficient to provide sustainable energy for the growth and proliferation of the cell culture.

Microorganisms and host cells that can be useful in accordance with the methods of the present invention can be found in various locations and environments throughout the world. The particular growth medium for optimal propagation and generation of lipid and/or other products can vary and may be optimized to promote growth, propagation, or production of biomass or a product such as a lipid, protein, pigment, antioxidant, etc. Solid and liquid growth media are generally available from a wide variety of sources, as are instructions for the preparation of particular media suitable for a wide variety of strains of microorganisms. For example, various fresh water and salt water media can include those described in Barsanti (2005) Algae: Anatomy, Biochemistry & Biotechnology, CRC Press for media and methods for culturing algae. Algal media recipes can also be found at the websites of various algal culture collections, including, as nonlimiting examples, the UTEX Culture Collection of Algae (www.sbs.utexas.edu/utex/media.aspx); Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (www.ccap.ac.uk); and Katedra Botaniky (botany.natur.cuni.cz/algo/caup-media.html).

The culture methods can optionally include inducing expression of one or more genes for the production of a product, such a but not limited to a protein that participates in the production of a lipid, one or more proteins, antioxidants, or pigments, and/or regulating a metabolic pathway in the microorganism. Inducing expression can include adding a nutrient or compound to the culture, removing one or more components from the culture medium, increasing or decreasing light and/or temperature, and/or other manipulations that promote expression of the gene of interest. Such manipulations can largely depend on the nature of the (heterologous) promoter operably linked to the gene of interest.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the microorganisms deregulated in acclimation to low light intensity can be cultured in a “photobioreactor” equipped with an artificial light source, and/or having one or more walls that is transparent enough to light, including sunlight, to enable, facilitate, and/or maintain acceptable microorganism growth and proliferation. For production of fatty acid products or triglycerides, photosynthetic microorganisms or host cells can additionally or alternately be cultured in shake flasks, test tubes, vials, microtiter dishes, petri dishes, or the like, or combinations thereof.

Additionally or alternately, recombinant photosynthetic microorganisms or host cells may be grown in ponds, canals, sea-based growth containers, trenches, raceways, channels, or the like, or combinations thereof. In such systems, the temperature may be unregulated, or various heating or cooling method or devices may be employed. As with standard bioreactors, a source of inorganic carbon (such as, but not limited to, CO₂, bicarbonate, carbonate salts, and the like), including, but not limited to, air, CO₂-enriched air, flue gas, or the like, or combinations thereof, can be supplied to the culture. When supplying flue gas and/or other sources of inorganic that may contain CO in addition to CO₂, it may be necessary to pre-treat such sources such that the CO level introduced into the (photo)bioreactor do not constitute a dangerous and/or lethal dose with respect to the growth, proliferation, and/or survival of the microorganisms.

The algal cpSRP54 mutants can include one or more non-native genes encoding a polypeptide for the production of a product, such as, but limited to, a lipid, a colorant or pigment, an antioxidant, a vitamin, a nucleotide, a nucleic acid, an amino acid, a hormone, a cytokine, a peptide, a protein, or a polymer. For example, the encoded polypeptide can be an enzyme, metabolic regulator, cofactor, carrier protein, or transporter. The methods include culturing a cpSRP54 mutant or cytoSRP54 mutant that includes at least one non-native gene encoding a polypeptide that participates in the production of a product, to produce biomass or at least one algal product. Products such as lipids and proteins can be recovered from culture by recovery means known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as by whole culture extraction, for example, using organic solvents. In some cases, recovery of fatty acid products can be enhanced by homogenization of the cells. For example, lipids such as fatty acids, fatty acid derivatives, and/or triglycerides can be isolated from algae by extraction of the algae with a solvent at elevated temperature and/or pressure, as described in the co-pending, commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2013/0225846, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Biomass can be harvested, for example, by centrifugation or filtering. The biomass may be dried and/or frozen. Further products may be isolated from biomass, such as, for example, lipids or one or more proteins. Also included in the invention is an algal biomass comprising biomass of an algal cpSRP54 mutant or algal cytoSRP54 mutant, such as any disclosed herein, for example, an algal cpSRP54 or cytoSRP54 mutant that includes a mutation in a gene encoding a cpSRP54 having at least 50% identity to SEQ ID NO:2 or cytoSRP54 gene having at least 50% identity to SEQ ID NO:29.

Alternatively or in addition to any of the embodiments described above, the invention provides the following embodiments:

Embodiment 1 is a mutant alga having an altered or attenuated gene encoding a cpSRP54 polypeptide, where the mutant can be an isolated variant generated by classical mutagenesis or may be a genetically engineered alga having a disrupted or mutated gene encoding a cpSRP54 polypeptide and/or that includes a construct that attenuates expression of the endogenous cpSRP54 polypeptide, wherein the mutant alga has reduced total chlorophyll with respect to a control alga that does not have an altered or attenuated gene encoding a cpSRP54 polypeptide.

Embodiment 2 is a mutant alga according to embodiment 1, wherein the mutant alga has at least a 20%, at least a 30%, at least a 40%, at least a 50%, at least a 55%, at least a 60%, at least a 65%, or at least a 70% reduction in total chlorophyll with respect to a control cell, optionally further wherein the mutant has a chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b ratio that is increased by at least with respect to a control cell, further optionally wherein the ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b is at least about 2.8:1, at least about 3:1, at least about 3.2:1, about 3.3:1, at least about 3.5:1, at least about 3.7:1, at least about 3.9:1, at least about 4:1, or at least about 4.3:1.

Embodiment 3 is a mutant alga according to embodiment 1, where the mutant alga demonstrates one or more of the following:

(a) higher qP with respect to a control alga at all irradiances between about 250 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 150 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 75 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 40 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or between about 10 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹;

(b) lower NPQ with respect to a control alga at all irradiances between about 250 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 150 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 75 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 40 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or between about 10 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹;

(c) higher Y(II) with respect to a control alga at all irradiances between about 250 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 150 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 75 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 40 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or between about 10 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹;

(d) higher Fv/Fm with respect to a control alga between about 250 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 150 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 75 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 40 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or between about 10 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹;

(e) higher ESR(II) with respect to a control alga between about 250 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 150 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 75 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, between about 40 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, or between about 10 and about 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹;

(f) oxygen evolution on a per chlorophyll basis increased by at least 50%, at least 100% at least 200%, at least 300%, at least 350%, or at least 400% with respect to a control alga; and

(g) carbon fixation on a per chlorophyll basis increased by at least 50%, at least 60% at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, or at least 100% with respect to a control alga.

Embodiment 4 is a mutant alga according to any of embodiments 1-3, where the mutant alga demonstrates greater productivity with respect to the control alga in one or more of a constant light culture, or a diel cycle culture having a constant light intensity, or a diel cycle culture having a variable light intensity.

Embodiment 5 a mutant alga according to any of embodiments 1-3, where the mutant alga demonstrates greater productivity with respect to the control alga in a diel cycle culture having a variable light intensity mimicking natural daylight, optionally wherein the light intensity peaks at between about 1900 and about 2000 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

Embodiment 6 is a mutant alga according to embodiments 4 or embodiment 5, where the mutant alga demonstrates at least 5%, at least 6%, at least 8%, or at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 25%, or at least 30% greater biomass productivity than a control alga cultured under identical conditions.

Embodiment 7 is a mutant alga according to any of embodiments 1-6, wherein the mutated cpSRP54 gene has a GTPase domain having at least 60% identity to any of SEQ ID NOs:15-27.

Embodiment 8 is a mutant alga according to any of embodiments 1-7, wherein the mutated cpSRP54 gene has at least 50% identity to any of SEQ ID NOs:2-14.

Embodiment 9 is a mutant alga according to any previous embodiment, wherein the alga is a eukaryotic microalga, optionally belonging to any of the phylogenetic groups chlorophyta, charophyta, ochrophyta, haptophyta, cryptophyta, or dinoflagellate, and/or belonging to any of the classes bacillariophyceae, fragilariophyceae, coscinodiscophyceae, eustigmatophyceae, bolidophyceae, xanthophyceae, pelagophyceae, chrysophyceae, chlorarachniophyceae, raphidophyceae, synurophyceae, coccolithophyceae, pavlovophyceae, trebouxiophyceae, chlorophyceae, pyramimonadophyceae, nephrophyceae, ulvophyceae, mamiellophyceae, chlorodendrophyceae, euglenophyceae, and/or belonging to of any of the genera Amphora, Ankistrodesmus, Aplanochytrium, Asteromonas, Aureococcus, Boekelovia, Bolidomonas, Borodinella, Botrydium, Botryococcus, Bracteacoccus, Carteria, Chaetoceros, Chlamydomonas, Chlorella, Chlorococcum, Chlorogonium, Chroomonas, Chrysophyceae, Chrysosphaera, Cricosphaera, Crypthecodinium, Cryptomonas, Cyclotella, Cyanidioschyzon, Desmodesmus, Dunaliella, Elina, Ellipsoidon, Emiliania, Eremosphaera, Ernodesmius, Euglena, Eustigmatos, Fragilaria, Fragilariopsis, Franceia, Gloeothamnion, Haematococcus, Hantzschia, Heterosigma, Hymenomonas, Isochrysis, Lepocinclis, Micractinium, Monodus, Monoraphidium, Nannochloris, Nannochloropsis, Navicula, Neochloris, Nephrochloris, Nephroselmis, Nitzschia, Ochromonas, Oedogonium, Oocystis, Ostreococcus, Parachlorella, Parietochloris, Pascheria, Pavlova, Pelagomonas, Phaeodactylum, Picochlorum, Platymonas, Pleurochrysis, Pleurococcus, Porphyridium, Prototheca, Pseudochlorella, Pseudoneochloris, Pseudostaurastrum, Pyramimonas, Pyrobotrys, Rholdella, Scenedesmus, Schizochlamydella, Skeletonema, Spyrogyra, Staurastrum, Stichococcus, Tetrachlorella, Tetraselmis, Thalassiosira, Tribonema, Vaucheria, Viridiella, Vischeria, and Volvox.

Embodiment 10 is biomass comprising an alga according to any of embodiments 1-9.

Embodiment 11 is a method of producing an algal product comprising cultivating an algal mutant according to any of embodiments 1-9 and isolating at least one algal product from the algal cells, the algal culture medium, or both, preferably wherein the cultivating is under photoautrophic conditions, optionally wherein the algal product is optionally selected from the group consisting of biomass, lipid, protein, nucleic acid, a nucleotide, a vitamin, an antioxidant, a pigment, a colorant, a terpenoid, or a carotenoid.

Embodiment 12 is a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2, optionally wherein: the nucleic acid sequence comprises a cDNA, the nucleic acid sequence is operably linked to a heterologous promoter, the nucleic acid molecule comprises a vector, the nucleic acid sequence includes at least one mutation with respect to a wild-type gene.

Embodiment 12 is a nucleic acid construct comprising a portion of a gene encoding a cpSRP54, wherein the construct is a construct for homologous recombination.

Embodiment 13, is a nucleic acid construct encoding a guide RNA, an antisense RNA, an RNAi, or a ribozyme construct, wherein the nucleic acid construct comprises a sequence having homology to at least a portion of a cpSRP54 gene.

Embodiment 14: is a nucleic acid molecule according to embodiment 12 or 13, wherein the cpSRP54 comprises a nucleic acid sequence having at least 60% identity to a GTPase domain selected from SEQ ID NO:15, SEQ ID NO:16, SEQ ID NO:17, SEQ ID NO:18, SEQ ID NO:19, SEQ ID NO:20, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:22, SEQ ID NO:23, SEQ ID NO:24, SEQ ID NO:25, SEQ ID NO:26, and SEQ ID NO:27.

Embodiment 15 is a nucleic acid molecule according to any of embodiments 12-14, wherein the cpSRP54 has at least 50% identity to an amino acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:11, SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, and SEQ ID NO:14.

Embodiment 16 is a mutant alga having an altered or attenuated gene encoding a cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide, where the mutant can be an isolated variant generated by classical mutagenesis or may be a genetically engineered alga having a disrupted or mutated gene encoding a cytoSRP54 polypeptide and/or that includes a construct that attenuates expression of the endogenous cytoSRP54 polypeptide, wherein the mutant alga has higher lipid productivity, for example, at least 5%, at least 10%, at least 15%, at least 20%, or at least 25% higher lipid productivity with respect to a control alga that does not have an altered or attenuated gene encoding a cytoSRP54 polypeptide.

Embodiment 17 is a mutant alga according to embodiment 16 wherein the mutant alga is a heterokont alga, for example a Bacillariophyte or Eustigmatophyte alga, optionally a Bacillariophyte, further optionally of a genus selected from the group consisting of Amphora, Chaetoceros, Cyclotella, Fragilaria, Fragilaropsis, Hantzschia, Monodus, Navicula, Nitzschia, Phaeodactylum, and Thalassiosira or a Eustigmatophyte further optionally of a genus selected from the group consisting of Ellipsoidion, Eustigmatos, Vischeria, Nannochloropsis, Monodus, or Pseudostaurastrum.

Embodiment 18 is a method of producing lipid comprising culturing a mutant alga according to embodiment 17 or embodiment 18 under conditions in which the mutant alga makes lipid, optionally wherein the culture conditions are nitrogen replete or nutrient replete, further optionally wherein the culture conditions are photoautotrophic.

Other alternative embodiments and methods will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon review of this disclosure. The discussion of the general methods given herein is intended for illustrative purposes only. The following examples are offered to illustrate, but not limit, the invention.

EXAMPLES Example 1. Cas9 Mediated Knockout of the cpSRP54 Gene in Nannochloropsis

The Nannochloropsis genome encodes two putative SRP54 homologs: the chloroplastic gene N. gaditana cpSRP54 (T6676) (coding sequence provided as SEQ ID NO:28, encoding the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:11) and the cytosolic gene N. gaditana cytoSRP54 (T5548) (coding sequence provided as SEQ ID NO:29, encoding the polypeptide sequence SEQ ID NO:30). The chloroplastic SRP54 gene was knocked out using a high efficiency genome editing Nannochloropsis cell line that expressed a Cas9 gene as disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/986,492 entitled “Compositions and Methods for High Efficiency Genome Editing” filed Dec. 31, 2015, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. As described in U.S. Ser. No. 14/986,492, a highly efficient Nannochloropsis Cas9 Editor line, N. gaditana strain GE-6791, expressing a gene encoding the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 nuclease, was used as a host for transformation with a chimeric guide RNA and donor DNA for insertional knockout.

To produce the high efficiency Nannochloropsis Cas9 Editor line, a Nannochloropsis strain was engineered and isolated that exhibited expression of the introduced Cas9 gene in close to 100% of the cell population of a growing culture. The vector pSGE-6206 (FIG. 1; SEQ ID NO:31), used to transform wild type N. gaditana strain WT-3730 included the following three elements: 1) a Cas9 expression cassette which contained a Cas9 gene from Streptococcus pyogenes codon optimized for Nannochloropsis gaditana (SEQ ID NO:32) that also included sequences encoding an N-terminal FLAG tag (SEQ ID NO:33), nuclear localization signal (SEQ ID NO:34), and peptide linker (SEQ ID NO:35), driven by the N. gaditana RPL24 promoter (SEQ ID NO:36) and terminated by N. gaditana bidirectional terminator 2 (or “FRD” terminator) (SEQ ID NO:37); 2) a selectable marker expression cassette, which contained the blasticidin deaminase (“blast” or “BSD”) gene from Aspergillus terreus codon optimized for N. gaditana (SEQ ID NO:38), driven by the N. gaditana TCTP promoter (SEQ ID NO:39) and followed by the EIF3 terminator (SEQ ID NO:40); and 3) a GFP reporter expression cassette, which contained the TurboGFP gene (Evrogen, Moscow, Russia) codon optimized for Nannochloropsis gaditana (SEQ ID NO:41), driven by the N. gaditana 4A-III promoter (SEQ ID NO:42) and followed by the N. gaditana bidirectional terminator 5 (or “GNPDA” terminator) (SEQ ID NO:43). The Cas9 expression construct was assembled according to the Gibson Assembly® HiFi 1 Step Kit (Synthetic Genomics, La Jolla, Calif.) into a minimal pUC vector backbone.

The ZraI-linearized Cas9 expression construct was transformed into Nannochloropsis cells by electroporation. 1×109 cells were transformed in a 0.2 cm cuvette using a field strength of 7,000 V/cm delivered with the Gene Pulser II (Biorad, Carlsbad, Calif., USA). The transformation mixture was plated onto PM074 agar medium containing 100 mg/L of blasticidin. Resulting colonies were patched onto selection media for analysis and archiving. A small amount of biomass was taken from the patches and completely resuspended in 300 μl of 1× Instant Ocean Salts solution (Aquatic Eco Systems; Apopka, Fla.). Care was taken to not add too much biomass so that a light green resuspension was obtained. This suspension was directly analyzed by flow cytometry using a BD Accuri C6 flow cytometer, using a 488 nm laser and 530/10 nm filter to measure GFP fluorescence per cell. 10,000-30,000 events were recorded for each sample using the slow fluidics setting. A strain having a single fluorescence peak that was shifted to a fluorescence level higher than that demonstrated by wild-type cells (FIG. 2A, distinguished from FIG. 2B showing clone p2-02 giving rise to two peaks, one of which coincides with the wild type peak) and also demonstrating Cas9 protein expression by Western blotting using an anti-FLAG antibody (Sigma #A9469) (FIG. 2C), designated strain GE-6791, was selected as a Cas9 Editor strain and used in mutant generation by cas9/CRISPR genome editing as described herein.

The Nannochloropsis gaditana cpSRP54 gene (cpSRP-6676) was targeted for disruption by first making a DNA construct for producing a guide RNA in which the construct included the sequence of a chimeric guide engineered downstream of a T7 promoter. The chimeric guide sequence included a target sequence (20 bp including PAM) (SEQ ID NO:44) homologous to a sequence within the cpSRP-6676 gene sequence that was upstream of an S. pyogenes Cas9 PAM sequence (NGG), and also included the transactivating CRISPR (tracr) sequence. The chimeric guide sequence was synthesized as described in Cho et al., 2013 (Nature biotechnology 31, 230-232) by first making a DNA template made up of complementary DNA oligonucleotides that were annealed to create a double-stranded DNA template which was used in in vitro transcription reactions using the MEGAshortscript™ T7 Kit (Life Technologies #AM1354M) according to the manufacturer's instructions to synthesize the guide RNA. The resulting RNA was purified using Zymo-Spin™ V-E columns (Zymo Research #C1024-25) according to manufacturer's protocol.

The donor fragment for insertion into the targeted cpSRP-6676 locus (SEQ ID NO:45) included a selectable marker cassette that included the hygromycin resistance gene (HygR, SEQ ID NO:46) downstream of the N. gaditana EIF3 promoter (SEQ ID NO:47) and followed by N. gaditana bidirectional terminator 2 (SEQ ID NO:37), with the entire promoter-hygromycin resistance gene-terminator sequence flanked by 27 base pair identification sequences on the 5′ (SEQ ID NO:48 5′ID) and 3′ (SEQ ID NO:49 3′ID) ends to yield the DNA fragment referred to as the “Hyg Resistance Cassette” (SEQ ID NO:45 HygR Cassette).

For targeted knockout of the cpSRP54-6676 locus, Cas9 Editor line GE-6791 was transformed by electroporation using 5 μg of purified chimeric guide RNA targeting the cpSRP54-6676 gene (target sequence SEQ ID NO:44) and 1 μg of the selectable donor DNA (Hyg Resistance Cassette; SEQ ID NO:45) essentially as described in US 2014/0220638. Following electroporation, cells were plated on PM124 agar media containing hygromycin to select for transformants that incorporated the hygromycin resistance cassette. Transformants were patched onto a fresh plate and screened by colony PCR for insertion of the donor fragment into the cpSRP54-6676 gene.

PM074 is a nitrogen replete (“nitrate-only”) medium that is 10×F/2 made by adding 1.3 ml PROLINE® F/2 Algae Feed Part A (Aquatic Eco-Systems) and 1.3 ml PROLINE® F/2 Algae Feed Part B (Aquatic Eco-Systems) to a final volume of 1 liter of a solution of Instant Ocean salts (35 g/L) (Aquatic Eco Systems, Apopka, Fla.). Proline A and Proline B together include 8.8 mM NaNO₃, 0.361 mM NaH₂PO₄.H₂O, 10×F/2 Trace metals, and 10×F/2 Vitamins (Guillard (1975) Culture of phytoplankton for feeding marine invertebrates. in “Culture of Marine Invertebrate Animals.” (eds: Smith W. L. and Chanley M. H.) Plenum Press, New York, USA. pp 26-60). PM124 medium is PM074 supplemented with 5 mM ammonium and 10 mM HEPES pH 8.0. It is made by adding 10 mls of 1 M HEPES pH 8 and 5 mls of NH₄Cl to the PM074 recipe (final volume of 1 L). In some examples, additional media with controlled ammonium levels was made by adjusting the ammonium concentration of PM074 and adding additional Hepes buffer.

For colony PCR screening, a small amount of cells from a colony to be screened was suspended into 100 μl of 5% Chelex 100 Resin (BioRad)/TE solution and the suspension was boiled for 10 minutes at 99° C., after which the tubes were briefly spun. One microliter of the lysate supernatant was added to a PCR reaction mix, in which the PCR mixture and reactions were set up and performed according to the QIAGEN Fast Cycling PCR Master Mix Protocol from the manufacturer (Handbook available at qiagen.com). The primers used to detect the insertion of the donor fragment into the targeted locus of the cpSRP54-6676 gene were SEQ ID NO:50 and SEQ ID NO:51. Based on the PCR-based colony screening, knockout strain GE-15274 was tested for reduced chlorophyll, photosynthetic properties, and productivity.

Additional genes of the SRP54 pathway for insertion of proteins into the thylakoid membranes were also disrupted using synthesized guide RNAs that were introduced, along with the “universal donor” HygR cassette DNA (SEQ ID NO:45) into Cas9 Editor line GE-6791 in the same way. For disruption of the gene encoding the Ftsy polypeptide (SEQ ID NO:52, coding sequence SEQ ID NO:53), the target sequence used in making the guide RNA was SEQ ID NO:54. For disruption of the gene encoding the ALB3 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO:55, coding sequence SEQ ID NO:56), the target sequence used in making the guide RNA was SEQ ID NO:57. In addition, as a control, the gene encoding the cytosolic SRP54 polypeptide (cytoSRP54, SEQ ID NO:58, encoded by SEQ ID NO:59) was targeted for knockout using a guide sequence that included target sequence SEQ ID NO:60). In each case the HygR cassette donor DNA (SEQ ID NO:45) was co-transformed into Cas9 Editor line GE-6791 with the guide sequence. Based on PCR-based colony screening, each of the resulting knockout strains GE-15272 (Ftsy Knockout), GE-14315 (ALB3 Knockout), and GE-14792 (Cytosolic SRP54 Knockout) was tested for chlorophyll content, photosynthetic properties, and productivity.

Example 2. Photosynthetic Parameters of the Nannochloropsis cpSRP54 Pathway Knockout Strains

Chlorophyll contents of the N. gaditana knockout mutants GE-14792, GE-15272, GE-15274, and GE-15315 were determined by extracting chlorophyll from cell pellets using a DMSO:Acetone procedure. In this procedure, 500 μl of culture was aliquoted into a 2 ml microcentrifuge tube and pelleted by centrifugation for 3 minutes at 12,000 rpm at room temperature. The supernatant was carefully removed and the cell pellet was resuspended in 1 ml of 1:1 DMSO:Acetone. The sample was then vortexed for 2-5 minutes at room temperature. Cell debris was pelleted by centrifugation for 3 minutes at 12,000 rpm. The supernatant absorbance was then read on a spectrophotometer blanked with a 1:1 DMSO:Acetone solution at 663 nm and 720 nm. The chlorophyll content was quantified by subtracting the 720 nm absorbance value from the 663 nm absorbance value. The resulting net absorbance value was then multiplied by the dilution factor and extinction coefficient of 20.15 to determine the μg/ml concentration or 18.01 to determine the μmol/ml concentration of chlorophyll. The amount of chlorophyll was calculated per cell and per of biomass (TOC). (Biomass assessment was performed as provided in Example 3.) The values shown in FIG. 3A (chlorophyll per total organic carbon) and FIG. 3B (chlorophyll per cell) are the averages of two replicate cultures.

The N. gaditana cpSRP54 knockout mutant strain GE-15274 showed a very modest reduction in chlorophyll (FIG. 3A), having approximately 13% less chlorophyll than the wildtype strain. The Ftsy knockout strain GE-15272 showed a similar chlorophyll/TOC reduction (an approximately 16% reduction), while the Alb3 knockout strain GE-15315 had a more significant level of chlorophyll reduction, approximately 44%. Surprisingly though, of all the knockout mutants the cytosolic SRP54 knockout mutant, included as a control, had the most severe reduction in chlorophyll, a reduction of approximately 60%.

In addition, carbon fixation and oxygen evolution of N. gaditana cpSRP54 knockout strain GE-15274 as well as Ftsy knockout strain GE-15272, Alb3 knockout strain GE-15315, and the cytosolic SRP54 knockout mutant GE-14792 were measured. Oxygen evolution by the Nannochloropsis cpSRP54 knockout mutant strain was measured using a Clark-type oxygen electrode. An aliquot of cells containing 5 μg chlorophyll per ml, or approximately 10⁷ cells, was transferred into the oxygen electrode chamber which was illuminated at varying light intensities to generate the oxygen evolution versus irradiance curve of FIG. 4A. Sodium bicarbonate (5 mM) was also added to the chamber to ensure the cells were not carbon-limited. FIG. 4B, providing the values with the lamp at 1500 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, shows that the N. gaditana cpSRP54 mutant showed a somewhat increased rate of oxygen evolution, a measure of photosynthesis, with respect to wild type, while the cytosolic SRP54 knockout had a markedly reduced rate of oxygen evolution with respect to wild type cells.

In the carbon fixation assay, 70 μl of ¹⁴C-labeled sodium carbonate (Perkin Elmer ¹⁴C NaHCO₃; 50.8 mCi/mmol; 1 mCi/mL) was mixed with 3 ml of the culture at a concentration of 5 μg Chl/ml that had been dark acclimated for at least 10 min. Two samples of each culture were prepared. The first sample was placed in front of LED light panel for 10 min, after which 250 μl of 2N hydrochloric acid (Fisher A508-P212) was added and mixed with the culture. The second sample was immediately mixed with 2N hydrochloric acid as a non-illuminated control. All samples acidified and vented overnight before 5 ml of UltimaGold A/B scintillation counter solution was added (Perkin Elmer). Samples were read on a LS6500 multi-purpose scintillation counter (Beckman). Scintillation counts were used to calculate the carbon fixation rates for each sample. The N. gaditana cpSRP54 knockout mutant (GE-15274), along with the Ftsy knockout mutant (GE-15272) showed somewhat increased rates of carbon fixation with respect to wild type on a per cell basis (FIG. 5A), while the cytosolic SRP54 knockout mutant cellular rate of carbon fixation was strongly reduced, by about 43%. The rate of carbon fixation by the Alb3 mutant (GE-15315) was similar to the wild type rate. The values shown in FIG. 5A are the averages of two replicate cultures.

Example 3. Productivity Assay of Nannochloropsis cpSRP54 Knockout Strain

To test productivity of the cpSRP54 knockout strain, a semicontinuous assay was used. In these assays the cpSRP54 knockout strain GE- and wild type strain WT-3730 were grown up in PM074 medium. The scale-up cultures were used to inoculate 225 cm² rectangular tissue culture flasks, each of which contained a final total volume of 550 ml of culture after inoculation. Three cultures were tested per strain. The cultures were inoculated so that each 550 ml culture had an initial OD₇₃₀ of 0.9. A typical inoculum volume was approximately 200 ml of scale-up culture that was added to approximately 350 ml of assay culture medium (PM074). The flasks included stir bars and had stoppers having inserted tubing connected with syringe filters for delivering CO₂ enriched air (1% CO₂, flow rate, 300 ml per min) that was bubbled through the cultures. The flasks were set in a water bath programmed to maintain a constant temperature of 25° C. on stir plates set to 575 rpm during the assay period. Culture flasks were masked with an opaque white plastic to provide a 31.5 cm² rectangular opening for irradiance to reach the culture. The flasks were aligned with the width (narrowest dimension) against an LED light bank that was programmed with a light/dark cycle and light profile that increased until “solar noon” and then declined to the end of the light period. The light profile was designed to mimic a spring day in Southern California: 14 h light:10 h dark, with the light peaking at approximately 2000 μE.

Cultures were diluted daily at mid-day, when the light intensity was at its peak, by removing 30% of the volume (165 mls) and replacing it with the same volume of the assay medium (PM074) plus an additional 10 ml of deionized water to make up for evaporation (included in the make-up medium). A 30% dilution rate was empirically determined as the most productive dilution rate for Nannochloropsis. Daily lipid and biomass productivities were only calculated for cultures that had reached steady state (where the increase in growth was equal to the dilution factor for the assay).

The semi-continuous assays were run for approximately seven days. Daily lipid (FAME) and biomass (TOC) productivities were calculated from cultures that had reached steady state standing crop TOC and FAME density. Volumetric FAME and TOC productivities in (mg/L/day) were calculated by multiplying the volumetric FAME and TOC amounts by the 30% dilution rate. Aerial productivities (g/m2/day) were calculated by dividing the total productivity of the culture by the size of the aperture through which irradiance was permitted:

${\frac{\left( {{volumetric}\mspace{14mu}{productivity}} \right)\mspace{14mu}{mg}}{L*{day}}*\frac{0.55\mspace{14mu} L}{0.00315\mspace{14mu} m^{2}}*\frac{g}{1000\mspace{14mu}{mg}}} = \frac{g}{m^{2}*{day}}$

The results of the semicontinuous productivity assay are provided in FIG. 5B, FIGS. 6A, and 6B. FIG. 5A shows that the cpSRP54 GE-15274 mutant provides no improvement in biomass productivity, having approximately the same biomass (TOC) productivity as does wild type strain WT-3730, while all of the other knockouts show slight deficiencies. FIG. 6A shows that GE-15274 has slightly less daily FAME productivity that the wild type strain. Surprisingly however, the cytosolic SRP54 knockout (GE-14792) shows a substantial increase in FAME productivity over the course of the assay, an approximately 25% improvement over wild type FAME productivity. None of the other knockout mutants, all of which have lesions in chloroplastic SRP thylakoid protein insertion components, show any increase in FAME productivity, but instead have slight to moderate decreases in FAME productivity with respect to wild type cells. The increased FAME productivity of the cytosolic SRP54 knockout strain is reflected in the significantly higher FAME/TOC ratio of the GE-14792 strain over the course of the assay (FIG. 6B), while the FAME/TOC ratio of the chloroplastic SRP54 knockout (GE-15274) is no greater than that of wild type, demonstrating that the strain provides no advantage in lipid production.

Example 4. UV Mutagenesis of a Parachlorella Strain

To isolate LIHLA mutants from a chlorophyte, or green algal species, cells of Parachlorella strain WT-01185, were mutagenized with UV and selected based on low chlorophyll fluorescence after low light acclimation. The Parachlorella strain used for mutagenesis, WT-01185, was isolated from a marine environment. Parachlorella WT-01185 cells were grown to mid-log phase and then diluted to 1×10⁶ cells/mL with growth medium PM119. The cell suspensions were transferred by pipet to a 100 mm Petri dish and placed within a STRATALINKER® 2400 UV crosslinker (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, Calif.) with the plate lid removed. UV irradiation was carried out with 10,000, 25,000, and 50,000 μJ/cm². After irradiation, cell suspensions were pipetted into a shake flask wrapped in foil to prevent light exposure for twenty-four hours during recovery.

PM119 media includes: 35 ppt Instant Ocean Salts (Aquatic Eco Systems; Apopka, Fla.), 5× Guillard's F/2 marine water enrichment solution (50× stock from Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, Mo., cat. No. G0154; final concentrations of components in media: 4.413 mM Sodium nitrate; 0.16 mM Sodium phosphate monobasic; 0.103 μM Biotin; 0.240 μM Cobalt chloride.6H₂O; 0.200 μM Cupric sulfate.5H₂O; 0.0585 mM Disodium EDTA.2H₂O; 4.54 μM Manganese chloride.4H₂O; 0.124 μM Sodium molybdate.2H₂O; 1.48 μM Thiamine.HCl; 0.0185 μM Vitamin B₁₂; 0.382 μM Zinc sulfate.7H₂O).

Example 5. Screens of Parachlorella sp. Strain WT-01185 LIHLA Mutants

Following mutagenesis and recovery as described in Example 4, cells were screened for the locked-in high light acclimated” (“LIHLA”) phenotype described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2014/0220638, incorporated herein by reference. The mutagenized cells were allowed to grow from between one and five days in low (100 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹) light, after which they were sorted by flow cytometry using a BD FACSAria II flow cytometer (BD Biosciences, San Jose, Calif.) to select low chlorophyll fluorescence cells. In general, the portion of cells with the lowest approximately 0.5 to 2% of chlorophyll fluorescence compared to the total population of cells was selected. Further primary screening of putative LIHLA colonies isolated through flow cytometry was conducted through the selection of pale green or yellow colonies visually after sorted cells were plated. In order to screen putative LIHLA colonies from other reduced pigment mutants and false positives, selected colonies were subjected to a medium-throughput secondary cultivation screen to acclimate the isolates to low light conditions prior to photo-physiological measurements. Chlorophyll fluorescence was monitored during low light acclimation to select colonies that retained the reduced chlorophyll fluorescence characteristic of the high light acclimated state. Clones that were selected demonstrated only small increases in chlorophyll (relative to wild type cells) when transferred from high to low light. This trait, of retaining substantially the same low chlorophyll content of a high light acclimated cell even when acclimated to low light conditions, is an identifying characteristic of the LIHLA mutants (see U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2014/0220638, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

Cell lines that retained reduced chlorophyll fluorescence at higher culture density (which promotes a low light acclimation response in wild type) were then further screened through more advanced photo-physiological measurements following acclimation to low light.

Example 6. Functional Characterization of LIHLA Mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837

Among the LIHLA strains that were found to have reduced chlorophyll under low light conditions were five isolates that were analyzed in detail: mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837. Chlorophyll content of mutants was determined by extracting cells with methanol, and analyzing the supernatant by spectrophotometry. Briefly, 200 μl aliquots of culture were pipeted into 2.0 ml twist top tubes and pelleted using a table top microcentrifuge at 12,000 rpm for 5 minutes. The supernatants were aspirated off of the pellets, and each pellet was resuspended in 1.5 ml 99.8% methanol. 0.5 ml of glass beads (212-300 m diameter) were added to each vial and the vials were incubated on ice for 1 min prior to bead beating 3 times for 1 min, placing each vial on ice after each 1 min bead-beating. The tubes were centrifuges on the table top microcentrifuge at 15,000 rpm for 5 minutes. The resulting pellets were white. One ml of each supernatant was pipeted into a disposable cuvette and absorption wavelengths were read immediately at 720 nm, 696 nm, 665 nm, 652 nm, and 632 nm wavelengths after blanking the spectrophotometer with 99.8% methanol. To calculate the concentration of total chlorophyll, the following equation was used: Total Chlorophyll [g m⁻³]=28.6473(A632)+12.9405(A652)+0.6845(A665)+5.2230(A696). For Chlorophyll a concentration, the equation used was Chlor a [g m⁻³]=−2.0780(A632)−6.5079(A652)+16.2127(A665)−2.1372(A696). For Chlorophyll b concentration, the equation used was Chlor b [g m−3]=−2.9450(A632)+32.1228(A652)−13.8255(A665)−3.0097(A696).

As seen in Table 1, the NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837 strains were found to have reduction in chlorophyll that ranged from 62-74% as compared to wild type following low light acclimation. The ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b (an indication of the selective reduction of antenna chlorophyll) was greatly increased with respect to the wild type chlorophyll a to b ratio of 2.4:1. Mutant ratios of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b ranged from about 3.1:1 to about 4.3:1.

TABLE 1 Chlorophyll content of Parachlorella LIHLA strains compared to wild type. a:b % increase pg % reduction STRAIN ratio a:b ratio Chl/cell Chl WT-01185 2.4 — 0.67 — (wild type) NE-07542 3.1 29% 0.26 60% NE-07548 3.5 46% 0.25 62% NE-07557 4.3 79% 0.23 66% NE-07564 3.7 54% 0.25 62% NE-07837 3.0 25% 0.30 55%

Fluorescence based PSII photo-physiological parameters were used to identify strains with similar or increased maximal PSII quantum yield (F_(v)/F_(m)) and higher photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) than the wild type strain, determined over 13 irradiance levels. Fv/Fm was measured using a Dual PAM fluorometer (Walz, Effeltrich, Germany). A 3 ml aliquot of cells with a cell density 1×10⁷ cells per ml (approximately 5 mg chlorophyll per ml) was dark adapted for five minutes, after which a low intensity measuring beam was used to obtain F₀. The cells were then exposed to saturating light to close all reaction centers, and then a second low intensity measuring beam was used for obtaining F_(m) (Maxwell and Johnson, (2000) J. Exper. Bot. 51: 659-668). FIG. 7A shows the Parachlorella isolates demonstrated higher F_(v)/F_(m) values at all irradiances tested, i.e., from approximately 10 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ to approximately 2840 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

Photochemical quenching, or qP, a measure of the proportion of open PSII centers, and nonphotochemical quenching, or NPQ, were also measured using a Dual PAM fluorometer (Walz, Effeltrich, Germany) over a range of light intensities. FIG. 7B shows the mutants had higher qP values for all irradiances greater than about 10 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, for example, at all irradiances from about 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ to about 2840 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹. FIG. 8 shows the mutants also had lower NPQ at all irradiances greater than about 10 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹, for example, at all irradiances from about 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ to about 2840 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹.

In addition to reduced chlorophyll content, these strains demonstrated higher qP (FIG. 7B), lower NPQ (FIG. 8), the mutants demonstrated higher photosystem II electron transport rates (FIG. 9A) at all light intensities greater than about 75 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ that were tested (up to approximately 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹), and increased photosynthetic efficiency (FIG. 9B) at all light intensities greater than about 40 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹ that were tested (up to approximately 2800 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹), demonstrating that these strains had the characteristics of “LIHLA” mutants (see US 2014/0220638, incorporated by reference herein).

Example 7. Genotyping of Parachlorella LIHLA Mutants

Genome sequencing of Parachlorella LIHLA mutants NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837 determined that each had a mutation within a SRP54 gene (cDNA sequence provided as SEQ ID NO:1, amino acid sequence of encoded polypeptide provided as SEQ ID NO:2), characterized by two domains found in this class of protein: the SRP GTPase domain (Pfam 00448) and the SRP Signal Peptide Binding domain (Pfam 02978). In addition, the Parachlorella polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2 had a region with homology to the SRP54-N or “SRP54 helical bundle” SMART domain 00693. This domain corresponds to Pfam 02881; however, the sequence did not have a strong enough fit with Pfam 02881 to qualify for inclusion in Pfam 02881 (the bit score was lower than the cutoff value). FIG. 10 provides a diagram of the cpSRP54 gene showing the conserved domains and the positions and of mutations confirmed for the cpSRP54-associated LIHLA mutants.

Confirmation of the positions of the genetic lesions in the mutants was through a combination of chromosome walking techniques, PCR, and DNA sequencing, including genome sequencing using an in-house MiSeq sequencer (Illumina, San Diego, Calif.). For mutant genome re-sequencing, whole genomic DNA of the Parachlorella mutants were used for Nextera DNA library preparation according to the recommended protocol (Illumina Inc., San Diego, Calif.). The libraries generated were sequenced by paired-end sequencing on an Illumina MiSeq instrument.

TABLE 2 Molecular basis of Mutations in the cpSRP54 gene of Parachlorella LIHLA Strains STRAIN MUTATION EXON NE-07542 Stop gained 7 NE-07548 Stop gained 3 NE-07557 Frame shift 10 NE-07564 Codon change and Insertion 2 NE-07837 Stop gained 1

Example 8. cpSRP54 Genes and Polypeptides

As depicted in FIG. 10, several mutations were identified in the Parachlorella cpSRP54 gene that resulted in lower chlorophyll and higher photochemical photosynthetic efficiency as compared to the parental wild-type strains. Mutations resulting in a LIHLA phenotype were K348*, Y156*, −438, L97HV, L19*, where * denotes a stop codon and - (a dash) denotes an insertion or deletion caused frameshift effecting the remainder of the protein.

To determine whether the mutated SRP54 gene was a chloroplastic SRP54 gene, alignments of known sequences of chloroplastic SRP54 polypeptides (cpSRP54's) were used to build a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) for chloroplastic SRP54 proteins. The identification of chloroplastic SRP54 sequences was based on manual curation and alignment of SRP54 sequences by Trager et al. (2012) The Plant Cell 24:4819-4836 (see, Supplemental FIG. 4 and Supplemental Table 1, available at plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.112.102996). The HMM for the cpSRP54 was then used to search the full collection of sequences from the proprietary Parachlorella WT01185 nuclear genome annotation, proprietary Nannochloropsis gaditana WE03730 nuclear genome (v2), and proprietary Nannochloropsis gaditana WE03730 cDNA annotations. In addition, cpSRP54 alignments taken directly from the SRP database available at rnp.uthscsa.edu/rnp/SRPDB/srpprotein.html were used to build an SRP54 HMM to identify non-chloroplastic SRP54 genes in the same genomes.

Significant homology was found between the Parachlorella WT-01185 cpSRP54 (SEQ ID NO:2), and SRP54 polypeptides of other microalgal species that are characterized as chloroplastic Trager et al. (2012), supra). For example, the Parachlorella cpSRP54 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO:2) has 56% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (A8J758; SEQ ID NO:3) having Genbank accession EDP00260 and gene identifier (GI) 158274478; 53% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Micromonas pusilla (C1MLE1; SEQ ID NO:4) having Genbank accession EEH59526 and GI:226462234; 53% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Micromonas sp. (C1FE02; SEQ ID NO:5) having Genbank accession ACO68481 and GI:226522498; 53% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Paulinella chromatophora (B1X3Q8; SEQ ID NO:6) having Genbank accession ACB42577 and GI:171191615; 53% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Ostreococcus lucimarinus (A4RQK2; SEQ ID NO:7) having Genbank accession ABO94038 GI:144575969; 49% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Ostreococcus tauri (Q01H03; SEQ ID NO:8) having GI:122162028; 50% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Volvox carteri (D8UEN3; SEQ ID NO:9) having Genbank accession EFJ41797 and GI:300257550; 50% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Phaeodactylum tricornutum (B7FXT4; SEQ ID NO:10) having Genbank accession EEC48599 and GI:217408666; 50% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Nannochloropsis gaditana (SEQ ID NO:11); 49% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Thalassiosira pseudonana (B8BUG8; SEQ ID NO:12) having Genbank accession EED94755 and GI:220976428; 49% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Aureococcus anophagefferens (323456635; SEQ ID NO:13) having Genbank accession EGB12501 and GI:323456635; 49% amino acid identity to the SRP54 polypeptide of Ectocarpus siliculosus (D8LN22; SEQ ID NO:14) having Genbank accession CBN76263, GI:299116639. The relationship of these proteins to the Parachlorella WT-01185 cpSRP54 (SEQ ID NO:2) is shown in the diagram of FIG. 11.

TABLE 3 Algal cpSRP54 Proteins Percent Identity to Parachlorella Species Protein ID WT-01185 cpSRP54 Ostreococcus tauri Q01H03 49% Ostreococcus lucimarinus A4RQK2 53% Micromonas pusilla C1MLE1 53% Micromonas sp C1FE02 53% Chlamydomonas reinhardtii A8J758 56% Volvox carteri D8UEN3 50% Ectocarpus siliculosus D8LN22 44% Nannochloropsis gaditana Unpublished 50% Thalassiosira pseudonana B8BUG8 49% Phaeodactylum tricornutum B7FXT4 51% Aureococcus anophagefferens 323456635 46% Paulinella chromatophora B1X3Q8 53%

All of the identified putative orthologs with the exception of SEQ ID NO:8 (Ostreococcus tauri) are observed to have the same overall domain structure i.e., progressing from the amino terminus toward the carboxy terminus, the SRP54 N or “helical bundle” domain (pfam 02881) (amino acids 67-163 of SEQ ID NO:2), followed by the SRP GTPase domain (SEQ ID NO:14, which is amino acids 180-351 of SEQ ID NO:2) followed by the SRP Signal Peptide Binding domain (pfam 02978) (amino acids 404-504 of SEQ ID NO:2). The Parachlorella cpSRP54 (SEQ ID NO:2) includes an SRP54 B domain according to SMART domain models (smart.embl-heidelberg.de), but does not meet the criteria for inclusion in Pfam PF02881. Therefor recruitment to Pfam PF02881 is not a criterion for characterization as a chloroplastic SRP54.

The most conserved domain among the putative cpSRP54 orthologs is the GTPase domain (pfam PF00448, “SRP54-type protein, GTPase domain”, gathering cut-off of 22.7). SEQ ID NO:15 (the GTPase domain of the Parachlorella cpSRP54) has 74% identity the GTPase domain of the Chlamydomonas SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:16), 71% identity the GTPase domain of the Micromonas pusilla SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:17), 71% identity the GTPase domain of the Micromonas sp. SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:18), 68% identity the GTPase domain of the Paulinella chromatophora SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:19), 69% identity the GTPase domain of the Ostreococcus lucimarinus SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:20), 56% identity the GTPase domain of the Ostreococcus tauri SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:21), 78% identity the GTPase domain of the Volvox carteri SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:22), 68% identity the GTPase domain of the Phaeodactylum tricornutum SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:23), 64% identity the GTPase domain of the Nannochloropsis gaditana SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:24), 66% identity the GTPase domain of the Thalassiosira pseudonana SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:25), 59% identity the GTPase domain of the Aureococcus anophagefferens SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:26), and 62% identity the GTPase domain of the Ectocarpus siliculosus SRP54 (SEQ ID NO:27).

The observed mutations in the LIHLA mutants were found to occur N-terminal of the N-domain (7837 mutation) and within the N-domain (7564 and 7548 mutations), at the C-terminal end of the SRP (GTP binding) domain (7542 mutation) and within the signal peptide binding domain (7557 mutation). Interestingly, the only mutation localized to the GTPase domain was the NE-07542 mutation that generated a stop codon at the very end of exon 7 (the codon encoding amino acid 169 of exon 7 was altered to generate a stop codon within the 172 codon exon).

Example 9. Oxygen Evolution and Carbon Fixation Rates of cpSRP54 Mutants

Oxygen evolution by the Parachlorella LIHLA strains was measured using a Clark-type oxygen electrode. An aliquot of cells containing 5 μg chlorophyll per ml, or 107 cells, was transferred into the oxygen electrode chamber which was illuminated with a lamp at 1500 μmol photons m−2 sec−1. Sodium bicarbonate (5 mM) was also added to the chamber to ensure the cells were not carbon-limited.

LIHLA cpSRP54 mutants were also assayed to determine their rate of carbon fixation compared to wild type. In this assay, 70 μl of ¹⁴C-labeled sodium carbonate (Perkin Elmer ¹⁴C NaHCO₃; 50.8 mCi/mmol; 1 mCi/mL) was mixed with 3 ml of the culture at 5 μg Chl/ml that had been dark acclimated for at least 10 min. Two samples of each culture were prepared. The first sample was placed in front of LED light panel for 10 min, after which 250 μl of 2N hydrochloric acid (Fisher A508-P212) was added and mixed with the culture. The second sample was immediately mixed with 2N hydrochloric acid as a non-illuminated control. All samples acidified and vented overnight before 5 ml of UltimaGold A/B scintillation counter solution was added (Perkin Elmer). Samples were read on a LS6500 multi-purpose scintillation counter (Beckman). Scintillation counts were used to calculate the carbon fixation rates for each sample. All tested mutants had decreased carbon fixation rates per cell compared to WT-01185.

Table 4 shows that the cpSRP mutants had increased chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b ratios and a reduced amount of chlorophyll per cell with respect to wild type progenitor strain WT-01185, as expected for reduced antenna mutants in chlorophytes (green algae). The chlorophyll a:b ratios ranged from 3.0 to 4.3, as compared with the wild type chlorophyll a:b ratio of 2.4. The reduction in chlorophyll per cell in the cpSRP54 mutants was substantial, ranging from 55% to 66% in the cpSRP54 mutants. The carbon fixation rates on a per chlorophyll basis were much higher in the mutants than the wild type rates, with the increase over the wild type carbon fixation rate varying between 54% and 108%. Oxygen evolution per chlorophyll also increased dramatically in the mutants, ranging a 120% increase over wild type to a 398% increase over wild type, i.e., at rates of approximately two-fold to approximately five-fold that of wild type on a per chlorophyll basis.

TABLE 4 chlorophyll content, carbon fixation and oxygen evolution rates. a:b pg mg C mg C pmol O₂ O₂ ratio Chl/cell fi/cell fix/Chl evol/cell evol/Chl STRAIN (% incr) (% decr) (% change) (% change) (% change) (% change) WT- 2.4 0.67 1.13E−09 2.11 0.078 168 01185 (—) (—) (—) (—) (—) (—) NE- 3.1 0.26 8.85E−10 3.81 0.070 370 07542 (29%) (60%) (−22%) (81%) (−12%)  (120%) NE- 3.5 0.25 5.87E−10 3.53 0.099 453 07548 (46%) (62%) (−48%) (67%) (26%) (169%) NE- 4.3 0.23 7.02E−10 4.38 0.140 694 07557 (79%) (66%) (−38%) (108%) (77%) (313%) NE- 3.7 0.25 7.25E−10 3.85 0.112 838 07564 (54%) (62%) (−36%) (82%) (43%) (398%) NE- 3.0 0.30 7.90E−10 3.25 ND ND 07837 (25%) (55%) (−30%) (54%)

Example 10. cpSRP54 Mutants in Semi-Continuous Productivity Assays

To determine whether the cpSRP54 mutants were more productive in culture, photoautotrophic cultures of the mutants were grown over several da0ys in semi-continuous mode with culture samples removed daily for biomass determination. In one such assay, the mutants were grown under a diel (light/dark) cycle with constant high intensity light during the light phase. In this assay PM119 culture medium in a 75 cm2 flask was inoculated with seed culture of a given mutant strain so that the initial 165 ml culture had an initial OD730 of 0.15. Three cultures were initiated per strain. The flasks had stoppers having tubing connected with syringe filters for delivering CO2 enriched air (1% CO2; flow rate, 165 ml per min) that was bubbled through the cultures. The flasks were aligned with the width (narrowest dimension, 2.8 cm) against an LED light bank that was programmed with a “square wave” light/dark cycle where the light was off for 8 hours and then turned on immediately to peak intensity of between 1900 and 2000 μmol photons m−2 sec−1 for 16 hours (“High Light” or HL2000 assay). The depth of the cultures (the distance from the wall of the flask nearest the light source to the wall at back of the flask) was approximately 8.0 cm. The cultures were diluted daily at the beginning of the light period by removing 15% (25 ml) of the culture volume and replacing it with fresh PM119 media diluted to adjust for the increase in salinity due to evaporation occurring in the cultures (212 ml di H2O to 1 L PM119 medium). Samples for TOC analysis were taken from the culture removed for the dilution. These semi-continuous small scale assays were typically run for 5 days.

In another small-scale semi-continuous assay design, the cultures were set up exactly as described for the high light diel cycle assay, but were kept at a constant (24 h./day) 1900-2000 μmol photons m−2 sec−1 for 24 hours per day (“Constant Light” CL2000 assay). The cultures were diluted daily at the beginning of the light period by removing 60% (99 ml) of the culture volume and replacing it with fresh PM119 media diluted as above to adjust for the increase in salinity due to evaporation occurring in the cultures.

Productivity for both assays was assessed by measuring total organic carbon (TOC) from the samples that were removed daily. Total organic carbon (TOC) was determined by diluting 2 mL of cell culture to a total volume of 20 mL with DI water. Three injections per measurement were injected into a Shimadzu TOC-Vcsj Analyzer for determination of Total Carbon (TC) and Total Inorganic Carbon (TIC). The combustion furnace was set to 720° C., and TOC was determined by subtracting TIC from TC. The 4 point calibration range was from 2 ppm to 200 ppm corresponding to 20-2000 ppm for non-diluted cultures with a correlation coefficient of r2>0.999.

Exemplary results of the small-scale productivity assays are provided in FIGS. 12A and 12B. FIGS. 12A and 12B demonstrate that cpSRP54 mutant NE-07557 had higher productivity each day of the HL2000 assay and each day of the CL2000 assay. Productivities calculated on a per day basis are provided in Table 4 below. Table 5 also shows that each of the cpSRP54 mutants (NE-07542, NE-07548, NE-07557, NE-07564, and NE-07837) outperformed the wild type in both the HL2000 and the CL2000 productivity assays.

Example 11. cpSRP54 Mutants in Diel Light Cycle Semi-Continuous Productivity Assays

LIHLA cpSRP54 mutant strains were also tested in the semi-continuous productivity assay (SCPA) designed to mimic the light exposure of algae in an outdoor pond. In this assay 500 ml of PM119 culture medium in a 225 cm² flask was inoculated with seed culture of a given mutant strain so that the initial 500 ml culture had an initial OD₇₃₀ of 0.15. Three cultures were initiated per strain. The flasks included stir bars and had stoppers having tubing connected with syringe filters for delivering CO₂ enriched air (1% CO₂, flow rate, 100 ml per min) that was bubbled through the cultures. The flasks were set in water bath set to a constant temperature of 25° C. on stir plates set to 450 rpm. The flasks were aligned with the width (the narrowest dimension, measuring approximately 4.9 cm from outer edge to outer edge) against an LED light bank that was programmed with a light/dark cycle and light profile that increased until “solar noon” and then declined to the end of the light period. The sinusoidal light profile is depicted in FIG. 13A as a graph of irradiance versus time of day. The “depth” of the flask (from the flask wall nearest the light source to the flask wall farthest from the light source) was approximately 13.7 cm. The light profile was designed to mimic a spring day in Southern California: 16 h light:8 h dark, with the light peaking at approximately 2000 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹. The culture were diluted daily at the end of the light period by removing 40% (220 ml) of the culture volume and replacing it with fresh PM074 media diluted (88 ml di H₂O to 1 L PM119 medium) to adjust for the increase in salinity due to evaporation occurring in the cultures. Samples for FAME and TOC analysis were taken from the culture removed for the dilution. Continuous assays were typically run for 10-14 days. A graphic depiction of one example of the daily productivity from a semi-continuous “Southern California spring day” assay is provided in FIG. 13A. Daily productivity measured as the average TOC of 3 identical cultures is plotted for successive days. It can be seen that the NE-07837 mutant performed consistently better than wild type on each of the nine days of the assay that was performed (FIG. 13B).

Productivity was assessed by measuring total organic carbon (TOC) as described above for the CL2000 and HL2000 assays. Table 5 provides the results of the productivity testing of the mutants

All of the cpSRP54 mutants were observed to have increased productivity with respect to the progenitor wild type strain in semi-continuous culture. Three of the strains, NE-07548, NE-07557, and NE-07564 were observed to accumulate 10% more biomass than the wild type on a daily basis in the semicontinuous assay in which the light intensity was varied to mimic a spring day in Southern California. Under the same conditions, mutant strain NE-07542 demonstrated a 6% increase in biomass productivity and strain NE-07548 demonstrated an 8% increase in biomass productivity with respect to wild type.

TABLE 5 Productivity Increases of cpSRP54 Mutants with respect to Wild Type in g/m²/day, standard deviation are based on the average over the 5 days sampled CL2000 HL2000 SCPA Percent Percent Percent Wild increase Wild increase Wild increase Strain Mutant type over WT Mutant type over WT Mutant type over WT NE- 32.7 ± 2.1 28.8 ± 3.1 13% 15.8 ± 0.9 13.3 ± 0.9 18% 12.0 ± .9  11.3 ± 0.5  6% 07542 NE- 35.0 ± 2.9 27.0 ± 2.8 30% 13.5 ± 0.7 11.6 ± 1.0 17% 11.3 ± 0.1 10.5 ± 0.3  8% 07548 NE- 33.4 ± 2.4 27.0 ± 2.8 24% 14.2 ± 0.8 11.6 ± 1.0 23% 11.5 ± 0.3 10.5 ± 0.3 10% 07557 NE- 29.3 ± 2.8 23.8 ± 1.0 23% 13.7 ± 0.9 11.6 ± 1.0 19% 11.6 ± 0.4 10.5 ± 0.3 10% 07564 NE- 33.6 ± 2.4 27.0 ± 2.8 24% 16.2 ± 0.6 14.8 ± 0.4  9% 13.4 ± 0.2 12.2 ± 0.2 10% 07837

Table 5 also shows that all of the cpSRP54 mutants had increases in biomass productivity over wild type cells in all of the semicontinuous assays. (The TOC values in mg/L from the samples removed on a daily basis were multiplied by the daily volume removed to provide TOC productivity in mg/day. The mg/day value was then divided by the light window size in m² to provide the productivity in mg/m²/day and then divided by 1000 to provide the productivity in g/m²/day. The observed productivity increases were greater in the CL2000 (constant high light) assay, ranging from about 13% to about 30%. The mutants showed slightly less improvement when grown in the 16 h high light (2000 μmol photons m⁻² sec⁻¹)/8 hour dark diel cycle (HL2000). In these assays, the increase in productivities of the mutants ranged from about 9% to about 20% over the wild type biomass productivity. In the SCPA, in which the cultures experienced a diel light cycle that mimicked natural daylight intensities, all of the mutants continued to have increased productivity over the wild type progenitor strain, in this case ranging from about 6% to about 10%.

Example 12. Cas9-Mediated Knockout of Parachlorella cpSRP54

A vector, pSGE-6709, was engineered for the expression of the Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 gene in Parachlorella. The vector included the following three elements: 1) a Cas9 expression cassette which contained an engineered Cas9 gene codon optimized for Parachlorella and containing introns from Parachlorella, that also included an N-terminal FLAG tag, nuclear localization signal, and peptide linker (SEQ ID NO:61) operably linked to the Parachlorella RPS17 promoter (SEQ ID NO:62) and terminated by the Parachlorella RPS17 terminator (SEQ ID NO:63); 2) a selectable marker expression cassette, which contained the blasticidin resistance gene from Aspergillus terreus codon optimized for Parachlorella and containing Parachlorella introns (SEQ ID NO:64), operably linked to the Parachlorella RPS4 promoter (SEQ ID NO:65) and terminated by the Parachlorella RPS4 terminator (SEQ ID NO:66); and 3) a GFP reporter expression cassette, which contained the TurboGFP gene (Evrogen, Moscow, Russia) (SEQ ID NO:41), driven by the Parachlorella ACP1 promoter (SEQ ID NO:67) and terminated by the Parachlorella ACP1 terminator (SEQ ID:68).

The vector was transformed into Parachlorella by biolistics. Transformation of Parachlorella wild type strain WT-1185 was accomplished using the BioRad Helios® Gene Gun System essentially as described in US Patent Publication No. 2014/0154806, incorporated herein by reference. DNA for transformation was precipitated onto gold particles, the gold particles were adhered to the inside of lengths of tubing, and a burst of helium gas was fired through the tubing positioned within the Gene Gun to propel the DNA-coated gold particles into Parachlorella strain WT-1185 cells which were adhered on solid non-selective media (2% agar plates containing PM074 algal growth medium). The Helios® Gene Gun was used to fire two bullets per cell circle at 600 psi from a distance of 3-6 cm from the plate. The following day, cells were transferred onto selective medium for growth of transformed colonies.

Colonies were screened for full GFP penetrance as described in Example 1 by flow cytometry and identification of transformed strains that had a single fluorescence peak shifted to a higher value than the wild type fluorescence peak. Fully penetrant Cas9 strains demonstrating a clearly shifted fluorescence peak with respect to nontransformed cells were tested for Cas9 expression by anti-Cas9 western blotting for evidence of Cas9 expression as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B for a Nannochloropsis Cas9-expressing line. Based on these screens, isolate 6709-2 was carried forward and given strain identifier GE-15699.

Example 13. Knockout of SRP54 Using Fully Penetrant Parachlorella Cas9 Editor Line

A chimeric gRNA (SEQ ID NO:68) was designed and synthesized in vitro to target the chloroplastic SRP54 gene in Parachlorella (coding sequence provided as SEQ ID NO:69). GE-15699 was transformed by electroporation with 1-2 μg of purified chimeric guide RNA, and 1 μg of selectable marker DNA which contained a bleomycin resistance “BleR” gene codon-optimized for Parachlorella and containing introns from Parachlorella (SEQ ID:70). The BleR gene was operably linked to the Parachlorella RPS4 promoter (SEQ ID:65) and terminated by the Parachlorella RPS4 terminator (SEQ ID:66).

Electroporation was performed by inoculating a 100 mL seed culture inoculated to 1×10⁶ cells/mL six days before transformation was used to inoculate a 1 L culture to 1×10⁶ cells/mL two days before transformation. On the day of transformation, cells were pelleted by centrifugation at 5000×g for 20 minutes, washed three times with 0.1 um filtered 385 mM sorbitol, and resuspended to 5×10⁹ cells/mL in 385 mM sorbitol. Electroporation of 100 μL concentrated cells was performed in 0.2 cm cuvettes in a BioRad Gene Pulser Xcell™ under varied conditions. The DNA used for optimization of electroporation was linearized pSG6640 including the ble and. TurboGFP expression cassettes. The TurboGFP cassette included the Parachlorella ACP1 promoter (SEQ ID NO:67) operably linked to the TurboGFP gene (SEQ ID NO:21 SEQ ID NO:41) and the Parachlorella ACP1 terminator (SEQ ID NO:68). Immediately after electroporating pre-chilled cells and cuvettes, 1 mL cold sorbitol was added and used to transfer cells into 10 mL PM074. After overnight recovery, cells were concentrated and spread onto 13 cm-diameter PM074 media containing zeocin at 250 mg/L and grown under the conditions listed in the biolistics section.

Electroporation conditions were 1.0-1.2 kV (5000-6000 V/cm), 200-300 ohms, and 25-50 μF. Use of larger quantities of DNA increased the resulting number of zeocin-resistant colonies, though the effect plateaued at amounts larger than 4 μg. Following electroporation, cells were plated on agar medium (PM130) containing 250 μg/ml zeocin to select for transformants that incorporated the bleR cassette. Transformants were screened by colony PCR using primers designed to amplify across the native targeted locus (oligo-AE596; SEQ ID NO:71 and oligo-AE597; SEQ ID NO:72). The primers were designed to produce a 700 bp band in the absence of integration (e.g., “knock-in” of the BleR cassette) into the locus, or a 4.3 kb band if there was integration of a single BleR cassette into the targeted locus. In addition, colony PCR was also performed using primers designed to amplify a fragment extending from the cpSRP54 gene (oligo-AE597; SEQ ID NO:72) into the selectable marker (oligo-AE405; SEQ ID NO:73 and oligo-AE406; SEQ ID NO:74). Depending on orientation of the integrated ble cassette, a 1.2 kb band would result from either amplification by primers 405/597 or primers 406/597 spanning from within the bleR cassette out into the cpSRP54 gene. The results showed a high frequency (between 40 and 45% in this sample) of knock-in of the BleR cassette into the targeted locus in the absence of homology arms. The cpSRP54 knockouts resulted in a pale green phenotype.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that elements of the embodiments described herein can be combined to make additional embodiments and various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments, alternatives and equivalents are within the scope of the invention as described and claimed herein.

Headings within the application are solely for the convenience of the reader, and do not limit in any way the scope of the invention or its embodiments.

All publications and patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. 

We claim:
 1. A recombinant or classically-derived Parachlorella LIHLA mutant having a mutated or attenuated gene encoding a chloroplastic signal recognition protein 54 (cpSRP54), wherein the mutant: (a) exhibits at least a 20% reduction in chlorophyll under low light conditions; (b) demonstrates a higher rate of carbon fixation on a per chlorophyll basis; and (c) demonstrates greater biomass productivity, with respect to a control alga of the same species.
 2. An algal mutant according to claim 1, wherein the mutant exhibits higher photosynthetic efficiency (Y(II)) at all physiologically relevant irradiances above 250 μE·m⁻²·s⁻¹ with respect to a control alga of the same species.
 3. An algal mutant according to claim 1, wherein the mutant exhibits lower nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) at all physiologically relevant irradiances above 250 μE·m⁻²·s⁻¹ with respect to a control alga of the same species.
 4. An algal mutant according to claim 1, wherein the rate of oxygen evolution is higher than that of a control alga of the same species on a per chlorophyll basis.
 5. An algal mutant according to claim 1, wherein the mutant has been generated by UV irradiation, gamma irradiation, or chemical mutagenesis.
 6. An algal mutant according to claim 1, wherein the mutant is a genetically engineered mutant.
 7. An algal mutant according to claim 6, wherein the mutant has been genetically engineered by insertional mutagenesis, gene replacement, RNAi, antisense RNA, meganuclease genome engineering, one or more ribozymes, and/or a CRISPR/cas system.
 8. An algal mutant according to claim 1, wherein the cpSRP54 comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity to SEQ ID NO:15.
 9. An algal biomass comprising an algal mutant according to claim
 1. 10. A method of producing an algal product, comprising culturing an algal mutant according to claim 1 and isolating at least one product from the culture.
 11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the product is algal biomass.
 12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the product is a lipid, a protein, a peptide, one or more amino acids, a carbohydrate, one or more nucleotides, a vitamin, a cofactor, a hormone, an antioxidant, or a pigment or colorant.
 13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the alga is cultured phototrophically.
 14. An algal mutant according to claim 4, wherein the rate of oxygen evolution is at least 50% higher than that of a control alga of the same species on a per chlorophyll basis. 